Can Volunteers Protect Communities?

The shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman has opened a nation-wide discussion about the role of citizen law enforcement.
But as the town of Redlands, Calif. can attest, a properly run volunteer police program can be efficient, cost effective and safe.
"If you want to volunteer with the Redlands Police Department, we'll find a place for you," says Sergeant Travis Martinez.
Redlands volunteers now outnumber paid officers five to one and, even with a 25 percent reduction to their police force in 2007, their violent crime rates have decreased steadily.
And it doesn't cost tax payers a dime.
"Our volunteer program is completely self-sustainable," Martinez says. "They raise their own money, they buy their own cars. None of the money comes out of the general fund.
The program even includes an air support unit, complete with 30 volunteer pilots and a prop plane.
Produced by Tracy Oppenheimer. Camera by Zach Weissmueller and Oppenheimer.
About 4 minutes.
Go to Reason.tv for downloadable versions, and subscribe to Reason.tv's KZbin Channel to receive automatic updates when new material goes live.

[@mileshicks4328]

I believe volunteers are a good idea because they are there because they actually want to be there.

[@painexotic3757]

Good point. This is actually a pretty good point.

[@ciscobriones5904]

i've decided to become a police officer and then i heard about this program in my city and heard that if i do this then i have a higher chance to become a police officer within my city. i don't care if i don't get paid it's not about the money it's about serving and protecting the people, if there is ever a active shooter i will be there side by side with my brother's and sister's in blue to make sure they come out alive to see their family and friends the next morning. i want to be where i can help people no matter where it is and for me that is Law enforcement, after i get my associates in psychology i will apply to become a sworn in officer.

[@geforcenow2839]

@@ciscobriones5904 Can I ask how your progress has been? I'm thinking about joining the military to get some sort of life experience that I would regret not taking and be military police which I assume would be helpful in transitioning to law enforcement. At the same time for Los Angeles they have a cadet program and prep program for 13-21 yo, but unfortunately I missed my age window so that's why the military seems like my option right now.

[@twobanger21]

I have been an auxiliary police officer for 14 years in New York. We are very active in the community and are generally well received. Our biggest hurdle are the paid officers who claim we are taking away their overtime.

[@hammerdown184]

Here in Canada some officers have made a killing on overtime raking in over 200k a year doing overtime. I love are officers and by and large they are educated and highly trained but that said its simply not efficient to have valuable asset like that directing traffic at a construction site or shuttling shoplifting suspects to booking. It costs the economy and are province and city big bucks. This would be a great way to keep paying are police a high salaries and reduce cost.

[@Viking_6_3]

rockit730 if you become a police officer for the money, you are part of the problem.

All you do is stalk and harrass law abiding citizens. You don't go after real criminals. Your a bunch of clowns in it for gift cards to target,walmart wherever. Your a shitstain on america.

[@painexotic3757]

@rockit730 Good. They are living off tax payers. If others can do their job for free, it frees up the tax payers money lol.

[@IB2EZ2C]

rockit730 I gave 100 hours a month for free and had a full-time job. I did it because I saw my sister beaten by an Officer and swore I’d do everything I could to not see it happen again....

[@mschrage618]

Beautiful. Wish more communities would adopt programs like this

[@alexgonzalezMI]

There is a HUGE Difference between neighborhood watch and Reserves.

[@elviraarriaga1424]

I ❤ Real Police Officers and Retired Police Officers thanks for their services and protection and wish there was a program like this video content in the city i live in. This Video is Great

[@paramedic70002]

Can Volunteers Protect Communities? Hmmm... Lets see, there's more volunteer firefighters than career firefighters in the United States. The City of Virginia Beach, VA has 11 all volunteer rescue squads with around 1,000 volunteers which are supplemented by a small cadre of career Paramedics of around 20. I'd say volunteers could do a fine job.

[@cjbb870]

any volunteer force is strongly motivated, or they wouldn't be there in the first place. these guys put 110% into everything they do, which weeds out alot of guys that are there to clock in, clock out, get a paycheck,

[@SSPspaz]

This is really freaking cool. A Police Department that believes it is part of the community, not above the community. This is what police departments should be like. Thanks Reason.

[@IB2EZ2C]

I did it and loved every one of the 100 hours a month I averaged. I worked full time at a school district. I think everyone going into LE should display their commitment by serving at least a year for free.

[@an.unarmed.civilian]

It solved the problem of forcing innocent and law abiding citizens to flee for their lives instead of being able to protect themselves and their property. It also solved the problem of giving criminals permission to sue people who defend themselves during a violent encounter. As well as removing incentive for criminals to be more violent knowing well that their victims have a "duty to retreat" before they can legally respond with force.

[@vonGleichenT]

Great program this should be done not just in the states.

[@Loadedone82]

This is the solution to every problem we have about money. They are truly patriotic and symbolise what needs to be done.

[@Liberty4Ever]

All levels of government are now so dysfunctional that we'd be better served if ALL government services were rendered by volunteers. Volunteer mayor. Volunteer city manager. Volunteer chief of police. Volunteer city council....

[@Jubes123]

I belong to a all volunteer fire department. It's a great time.

[@calimero421]

In Europe, outside of big cities, most firefighters are volunteers. So yeah, thousands of people have been and will be pulled out of burning buildings/homes/cars by volunteers. Same goes for the massive forrest fires we get every year in the south of France. Back in my parents' town (pop ~8000), there must be only 2 ou 3 permanent fire fighters, with a pool of 30-40 volunteers (including two or three MDs). Medical issues can of course be escalated to on-call teams from nearby hospitals.

[@ccp2214]

this is awesome! it makes sense to me that police officers with a profit motive for the number of arrest made the crime rate will go up because if they want a pay raise or promotion they have to make more arrests even if there is no violent crime occurring. And many cops that work for money take the position with an ulterior motive usually for power and control, and not doing it for the right reason with is to serve and protect the community which is why volunteer cops do it.

[@XCritonX]

In Portugal 2/3 of the fire departments are staffed with volunteers. They just receive a stipend to pay for uniforms and lunch on the days they volunteer.

[@JaySee5]

Isn't this what a TRUE public servant is supposed to be? No stupid unions with ridiculous high pay and pensions. No bureaucrats sucking money and wasting time. Being a public servant is supposed to be out of a sense of pride and/or duty.

[@laptopacc2113]

So Basically Regular Police Officers

[@TylerNutify]

"There is little to no competition [in govt services]" Who takes out your garbage? There was a time when all garbage collection was done by city employees. Now most cities outsource that service to companies like Wast Mgt and Republic Ind., because they showed that they can provide the service at a lower cost. There is competition, when private enterprise shows that they can do the job.

[@larryvito8694]

I would love to do it

[@ModernBarbarian187]

Seems like a better way to keep the community more involved. Volunteers involved are beholdon to their community not there government. Now that is important difference. Citizens need to be more involved.

[@ItssBrian]

Police also save lives. People die when fire fighters mess up too.

[@VotePaineJefferson]

Just what we need, more police officers as fodder for the police state. Obamney 2012

[@terradraca]

Tax funded = not private. Private means you have the option to opt out if you don't agree with the firm. That was never an option with Blackwater which is why they were able to get away with what they did.

[@SamusVSMC]

The actual wording is "regulated." That phrase in turn is separated from a second, additional idea, "the right of the people to keep and bear arms." Militia and People. Two separate concepts, as was acknowledged by the Supreme Court in D.C. vs Heller.

[@BrotherWoody1]

You're right. Depends too on how rigorous & reliable their psch entry exams are. These tests obviously have their deficiencies as the current actions of professional police forces attest. Would George Zimmerman, the shooter of Trayvon Martin, been the type to volunteer? Signing up to serve the community by serving the prison/industrial complex doesn't seem to serve the community very well. In the USA, everything is illegal for us but everything is legal for the rulers. More cops for more rules?

[@TylerNutify]

If the police did a proper investigation, the Zimmerman would have no problem proving that he was justified in his action in a court of law. But the "stand your ground" law turned the need to justify table around. Explain why the number of "justifiable" homicides by both police and citizens in FL tripled since the law went into effect, as will as gun sales. And what problem did that law solve?

[@Liberty4Ever]

Did you miss the part where the volunteer police complete the same training as the paid police? Or do you somehow equate the two different meanings of professional (paid vs qualified)?

[@trane2ify]

wish we had volunteer police where i am.

[@newyorkairsoft]

At least volunteers [NONE UNION] have MORE accountability then abusive cops who have the whole government behind them.

[@TylerNutify]

Well, we finely agreed on something.

[@sniper6081]

You know, most fire departments are run like this. Why can't the police work this way too? This shows that it works.

[@666THEMARK666]

Fire fighters don't go around trying to pull people over or point guns at citizens.

[@marcio99_]

​@@666THEMARK666 Because that's the police's job

[@666THEMARK666]

@@marcio99_ lol

[@an.unarmed.civilian]

Are you? They did investigate. And the evidence substantiated Zimmermans claims of self defense. Without a probable cause that the use of force was unlawful, than no arrest can be made and no charges will be filed.

[@BrotherWoody1]

I like the idea of citizen participation as volunteer police. I'm frightened by the idea of volunteers who always wanted to be police because it's a way to flaunt their authority and/or to gratify their desire for power over others. I'm also frightened that trained psycho killers home from the battlefield will want to volunteer. Will admission standards be lowered to meet an economic need? Sounds like a promising idea but I'm not yet convinced, especially with the drug wars, stop & frisk, etc.

[@trybal007]

Keep the peace and uphold the constitution. That is all. Throw the policy, rule, act, statute bullshit out the window. I've been tempted to become a cop for the purpose of detaining unlawful policy enforcers.

[@toobadsosad83]

I don't see that playing out. I see a volunteer police force as being far less jack booted than any professional police force. Think about it. If you're a civilian 99% of the time, but don the uni on the weekends, do you think you'd be more or less prone to abusing your power? I'd argue that you'd be vastly less likely to abuse than a "regular force" officer.

[@kevinv1370]

Dang our city provides all of the reserve police equipment. They provide vehicles, uniforms, firearms, scanners, etc.

[@MichaelKerr71]

I think neighborhood watch programs and volunteer programs likes this is a good idea. But in Zimmermans case he was a self-appointed captain of an unregistered neighborhood watch. He was just a guy walking around his neighborhood with a loaded gun. We need programs like this but we don't need loose canons like Zimmerman.

[@phillipa224]

zimmerman was not "citizen Law Enforcement"

[@GetMeThere1]

Of course an active public interest in crime detection will help to protect communities. But a habit of BOTHERING or HECTORING people (as Trayvon Martin was clearly treated) will NOT help anything, and will generally make people miserable.

[@biffburroughs]

I would be so happy if they would cut back on our police Department!

[@TylerNutify]

" fed state and local governments convoluted together still hold a monopoly on the initiation of force." So to break the govt monopoly, do we need more people like Zimmerman? That worked, didn't it.

[@gskibum]

I'm surprised some union hasn't gotten all bent over people doing the same work for free.

[@henleythecat]

I agree. Considering recent events, the timing of this video is somewhat suspicious.

[@2Nassassin]

People working to improve their community is definitely commendable. However, is it really safe to let anyone who wants to strap a gun to themselves and have automatic authority over other citizens? I hope they keep rigorous checks in place to prevent abuses of power. Police brutality is still a major concern of mine. Zimmerman was an example of some random guy trying to play hero by disobeying his directions from dispatch and pursuing Martin, which escalated the situation unnecessarily.

[@turbo3089]

well you guys answered my questions by the way this video thank you

[@Loathomar]

This seems a little too far with volunteers. I have no problem with volunteers helping the police, but I would like to know who is a full police and who is a volunteer by looking at them. But volunteers to direct traffic or respond to things like noise complaints or what ever seems great, but making them look the same a full police seems odd.

[@arion45]

I was hoping that this was done by non governmental agencies. It seems like the people who volunteer have that need to have power over people. Why else would they direct traffic, give traffic tickets for free? Or they could be trying to get experence to get hired on.

[@ItssBrian]

I suppose you wouldn't want a volunteer fire fighter pulling you out of a burning building either.

[@robertortiz8540]

Brian believe it or not some suburban towns in New Jersey has only volunteer Fireman.

[@Loathomar]

But the training is just the start, then you have a rookie cop, but normal professional police will have a small % of rookie cops. The volunteers will almost indefinitely be rockies unless they are on the "job" at least 10hrs or more every week. Any skilled job that you give to a part time volunteers will not maintain the same level of skills as a full time worker. So, not I don't equate paid with qualified.

[@MrApplewine]

" I told you, you don't get a gun until you tell me your name! "

[@ThePythagoran]

okay, we've got volunteers watching the streets. we've got the english common law model from hayek. we already have examples for private roads and utilities from other countries. there is no nation within an ocean of us who would contemplate the idea of invading. we could save so much dough if we quit subsidizing corporations that private charities could pick up the slack. its official, its time to turn an cap everyone.

[@TheCaptainSlappy]

Now, quantify that in detail (which even the Agents/LEO are fighting): Police are on the one hand, agents of the political subdivision corporations, be they municipal or county/state/federal corporations in the current form, primarily doing only revenue generation and assisa, handed down by the private societal corporate BAR Association Courts. The NEW model is the heavy revolving-door tax assessor hierarchy, the old model (pre-1920's) was that of the mechanical duties of "Peace Enforcement".

[@TylerNutify]

OK, assuming that the reasons for the law are valid (and they sound reasonable), do you have any data to show that crime went down after the laws were enacted? Do you know why most police agencies were against the law? Do you understand that there was already laws on the books that allowed you do defend yourself against deadly force? I visited El Salvador in the 90's when every house of the top 10% had a wall around it, barb wire, and private armed guards. Is that where we are heading?

[@newyorkairsoft]

it's hard for him to understand because he can't connect the two together and tries to bring race into things where race has nothing to do with it. IE: he's a drone.

[@an.unarmed.civilian]

my point is governments are often VERY BAD. Is that too hard for you to understand?

[@100years262democides]

i wonder if this will cause problems with corruption..... ....

[@an.unarmed.civilian]

exactly and they do it better. Not all monopolies are bad. Most are. And most use crony connections IN GOVERNMENT to boost profits and weed out competition.

[@TylerNutify]

"Governments on the other hand, are monopolies" When is a government not a monopoly? Name one example of a nation with multiple governments? (hint... there is one with 51 governments, but don't tell anyone).

[@TylerNutify]

" citizens can protect themselves!!!" Like Zimmerman protecting his community.... Ya, that worked real well. As well as the timing of this vid. Koch Bros ---> ALAC ---> Stand your ground laws ----> Oh shit, dead kid!! Koch Bors ---> Reason Foundation ---> This vid ---> Sheep buy into every word. What's next?

[@darkwhitedirewolf]

I would donate to that

[@7.62x39-b]

California’s economy is the same as France, how the hell are they cutting down budgets.

[@an.unarmed.civilian]

well if Mr Trayvon didn't assault someone trying to be a thug, he might not have gotten his ass shot dead.

[@TylerNutify]

"governments are often VERY BAD" Yes, if your goal is to starve it, that is what you get. If you ignore it, that is what you get. If you feed it, and train it to do what you want, you get a different result. Is that too hard for you to understand?

[@HayastanArmenia]

so getting harassed by real cops is better how? id think getting harassed sucks in general

[@AronaathWoW]

not really fake if they go through the same training as the paid officers and are equiped with the same gear

[@waveoflight]

I would rather NOT have clergy as gun carrying members of the community. They have a non-logical out look on civilians.

[@an.unarmed.civilian]

"Making government work is hard" yes because its the wrong way to do most things.

[@darksense36]

Yes, as long as they're not fucking psychopathic.

[@jawbone83]

200 years ago they were called militia.

[@TylerNutify]

"Privatization more often than not provides better services at lower costs because there in incetive to do so" For a price, I can protect your ass. Want to pay me some "protection" money? If you don't... Well, it's a free market on your ass.

[@ArtStone]

How many women in this volunteer group?

[@Liberty4Ever]

I hope the Canton Ohio police got a rookie volunteer to replace this veteran paid law enforcement professional. /watch?v=pk4_1OMKnH4 Part 1 of 8,349,227

[@TylerNutify]

Do you have and data to back up your argument? (I didn't think so)

[@HomelessOnline]

Pardon me while I go protest in my hoodie and sagging pants...(sorry, couldn't help myself).

[@nariawilliams9777]

The fact volunteers don't need full training and get access to police equipment and duties on call explains alot of the negative treatments that some people have complained about through this process. They only get like 30 hours of training at most. The whole system is basically verbal and psychological abuse to people with NO criminal records,no felony,no arrest,no misdemeanors,no convictions,no charges filed,no court ever people with no record at all it is gangstalking innocent citizens.

[@orley6379]

did you even watch the video? any reserve officer with full police powers has to go through the entire police academy.

[@heightsofsagarmatha]

​@orley6379 they have enforcement powers, which is the issue. Ppl can call the actual police/sheriff to report issues, these citizen volunteers ended up being creepy rent-a-cops going around stalking peaceful citizens. Program failed to work

[@marcio99_]

​@@heightsofsagarmatha What do you mean they persecute?

[@heightsofsagarmatha]

@marcio99_ they typically have enforcement powers for petty traffic offenses. So they harass people who are committing minor traffic offenses. Every driver in America commits minor traffic offenses so they're basically going around harassing random everyday Americans. Americans can call the police when we see issues that affect our lives, we don't need creepy gangstalkers with police powers going around and harassing us.

[@TylerNutify]

You are making a lot of assumption in your statement about what I think is "good" govt. Neither of us have the individual right to define what govt does or does not. We can only express our opinion and try to influence others. It is my opinion that the "all govt is bad" nonsense is a coordinated effort by those who would prefer to control govt by their own means and for their own profit.

[@nariawilliams9777]

It is a popularity contest because the rumor and participation of rumors is passed by not only police but the general public. NO this is not one bad police officer this is not like 3% of the force who play jokes and laugh at criminals and harass them and use their tazers abusively for fun for no real reason. This is human nature and alot of police officers do this commonly this is way above 30% including the volunteers officer and volunteer army/military affiliated individuals.

[@phillipa224]

Guy was not a priest.

[@cjbb870]

Phillip A right, he was a pastor, moron, big difference

[@TylerNutify]

So your point is since the USSR, Mao, etc were bad forms of governance, the all government are bad. Please check you logic Thank you.

[@jinxenyou8618]

That's a dumb question!

[@kmelfina]

No because we all know the government officials should be the only ones with guns, citizens are too irrational and irresponsible after the Trayvon Martin case/sarcasm.

[@hross1389]

No

[@nariawilliams9777]

gangstalking is occurring in this city specifically as well as across the nation. Community mobbing heavily endorsed and participated by neighborhood watch. So they tag you as a drug dealer, prostitute, aids recipient or pedophile or criminal, gay etc so the goal is a really fat rumor that people buy into and sign language or body language is used about 50% or more of the time and the rest of it is verbal insults. So most police dept participate because the whole system is based on popularity.

[@newyorkairsoft]

So your point is, since USSR and Mao are bad governments, so all governments are good government? You check your logic. Don't ask others to check your faulty logic for you. No thanks, you.

[@NHindividualist]

If George Zimmerman could see this video in jail, he'd probably catch a shot for "committing a sexual act".

[@hoosierhiver]

2:30' "The average citizen won't know we are volenteers", that's not good. I don't want fake wannabe cops harrassing me.

[@baltisauce9389]

Chaps! lol

[@NHindividualist]

Fire fighters save lives. Police endanger them.

[@666THEMARK666]

Larpers impersonating police

[@nariawilliams9777]

you are the george zimmermans of the community.

[@robertortiz8540]

Naria Williams: They are the George Zimmermans trained professionals of the community.

[@TylerNutify]

More Koch funded propaganda Govt bad... Govt bad... Govt bad... Govt bad... blah blah blah

[@GregLoutsenko]

first