La Junta Police Reserve Officer Application Guide

Description: As an applicant to the La Junta Police Reserve this document is intended to assist you with your application process. This document will not provide you with all the information necessary to be an active member of the Reserve Unit, but to serve as a guide through the process and will be revised from time to time.


Published: 10/16/2022
Byline: SECO News

(Please See Attached PDF Download - Misdemeanors Affecting Certification)

WHAT IS INVOLVED IN BECOMING A LA JUNTA POLICE RESERVE OFFICER

As an applicant to the La Junta Police Reserve this document is intended to assist you with your application process.  This document will not provide you with all the information necessary to be an active member of the Reserve Unit, but to serve as a guide through the process and will be revised from time to time.

WHAT AND WHO ARE THE LA JUNTA POLICE RESERVES?

The La Junta Police Reserve Unit was formed in 1959 as a volunteer organization to assist the regular officers of the La Junta Police Department with the carrying out of their daily duties.  A Reserve Officer operates under the direct supervision of the La Junta Police Department, its supervisors and its regular officers.  Each Reserve Officer is required to work a minimum of 144 hours each calendar year with a regular officer of the La Junta Police Department.  Additionally, the Reserve Unit has a monthly business meeting on the first Wednesday of each month that begins at 6 p.m.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM THE LA JUNTA POLICE RESERVES?

The La Junta Police Reserves exist to assist the officers of the La Junta Police Department.  In order to facilitate this, the Reserve Unit will provide you with:

·         Continuing training and education to assist regular officers;

·         All uniforms and related equipment;

·         Body armor;

·         Duty weapon;

·         Duty belt, holster, handcuffs, etc.;

·         Portable police radio;

·         Foul weather clothing;

·         Duty ammunition;

·         Practice ammunition for training;

·         Payment of medical bills if injured while on duty.

 WHAT DO THE LA JUNTA POLICE RESERVES EXPECT FROM ME?

As a member of the La Junta Police Reserve Unit you are required to comply with all the duties and responsibilities as set forth by the Chief of Police of La Junta to include the policies and procedures of the La Junta Police Department and the City of La Junta.  Additionally the Reserve Unit expects you to:

 ·        Be a certified reserve officer or certified police officer in the State of Colorado or successfully complete a minimum of  238 hours of training at the La Junta Police Reserve Academy and receive from the State of Colorado certification as a Reserve Officer;

·         Have a current and valid Colorado driver’s license;

·         Pass a background check by both the La Junta Police Department and the La Junta Police Reserve Unit.  Please note – if you have ever been convicted of domestic violence at any time, or certain misdemeanor offenses (See attached lise); you cannot be a member of the La Junta Police Reserve;

·         Sign a Police Reserve Contract;

·         Read the La Junta Police Department on-line policy manual;

·         Complete the on-line policy manual, Daily Training Bulletins (DTB's);

·         Agree to spend 144 hours per year, 12 hours per month, performing duties of a La Junta Police Reserve.

Documentation satisfying the above mentioned requirements will have to be attached to your application to the Reserve Unit.

Additionally, the Reserve Unit will pay for (subject to the terms and conditions of the Police Reserve Contract) the following which must be successfully passed:

·         A psychological examination;

·         A medical examination and drug test.

 WHAT EXPENSES DO I HAVE?

Each La Junta Police Reserve officer shall provide within the limits of the La Junta Police Department policy, the following:

 ·         Duty boots;

 OKAY, WHERE DO I BEGIN?

Start by contacting either Chief Todd Quick or Deputy Chief Mike Engebrecht at the La Junta Police Department.  Chief Quick is the liaison officer of the La Junta Police Reserves and he or Deputy Chief Mike Engebrecht will provide you with an application form.  Once you have completed the application form return it to the Police Department where it will be passed on to the current Reserve Unit Chairman.  A member of the Reserve Unit will contact you and arrange a time convenient for you both to proceed further with the application process and answer any additional questions that you may have.

Once you have returned your application to the Police Department, the following will occur:

1.      The Police Department will conduct a background check,

2.      The Police Department will ensure that you have a valid Colorado driver’s license;

3.      You will have to pass the Police Department testing;

4.      You will meet with the Reserve Review Board to discuss your application;

5.      You will be voted on by the Reserve unit and, if accepted, become a “cadet”, with no voting or other privileges other than meeting and training session attendance;

6.      You sign your “contract” with the Reserve Unit;

7.      You will complete your physical and psychological testing;

8.      If necessary, you will complete the Reserve Academy; approximately 238 hours.

9.      You will be voted upon by the Reserve Unit to become a probationary member of the La Junta Police Reserve Unit;

10.  All your documentation will be submitted to POST for official certification as a Reserve Officer in the State of Colorado;

11.  You begin working as a uniformed probationary Reserve Officer when certification is verified or received from POST.

Your failure to complete any of the above requirements will result in your application process being held in abeyance until successfully completed or stopped.  Chief Quick or Deputy Chief Engebrecht will know the status of your application if you have any questions.

RESERVE DUTY ASSIGNMENTS

A member of the La Junta Police Reserve has to work a minimum of 144 hours per year.  This is usually done two weekend nights per month from the hours of 2000 to 0200.  You may wish to come in to work your assigned duty night earlier and stay later.

You will generally work with a Regular Officer or another Reserve Officer if the Reserve Officer has been a member of the Reserve Unit for at least one year.  Whom you work with is at the discretion of the La Junta Police Department Shift Supervisor.

You will receive one hour of credit towards your minimum 144 hours for each hour that you work in uniform whether or not it is your duty night.  Additionally, you will receive three credit hours for Emergency call outs made by the Police Department, regular monthly Reserve Meeting and Reserve or Department training sessions.  You are obligated to account for this time on the Reserve schedule kept in the La Junta Police Department computer room.

If you have a conflict with your schedule for an assigned duty night you should try and trade with another Reserve Officer and at a minimum, inform the most senior La Junta Police Officer prior to 2000 the night that you are assigned to work.

If you have a conflict with the Reserve Unit’s meeting night or with any training session, contact the Reserve Unit's Chairman to ensure you have an excused absence.

DEFINITIONS:

La Junta Police Reserve Academy – Conducted at various times of the year by members of the La Junta Police Department and their designees.  Contact Chief Quick or Deputy Chief Engebrecht for additional information.

Police Reserve Contract – This document is for the benefit of the La Junta Police Reserve Unit.  Should you resign from the Reserve Unit within one year of being accepted as a Reserve the contract obligates you to repay the cost of the psychological examination and the medical examination (approximately $500.00).

Ride Along – Hours spent riding with a member of the La Junta Police Department in “civilian” clothes, without a gun and after signing a waiver as provided by the La Junta Police Department.

POST – The official State of Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training Board

Probationary Reserve Officer – The position held for six months during which time you are evaluated by both Regular and Reserve Officers.  At the end of six months you can be voted off of probation to a full time member of the La Junta Police Reserve’s.  During probation you have the same voting rights as a regular member of the Reserve Unit.

LA JUNTA POLICE - HONOR - SERVICE EST. 1903

Related Content:

La Junta Police Department 2023 Citizen's Academy

La Junta Police Department Seeking Reserve Officers

La Junta Police Department Now Hiring Police Officers

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