Police Reserves

I'd like to take a moment to thank our oustanding police reserves in the City of West Des Moines. Our Reserve Unit was established on September 1, 1961 under the name West Des Moines Police Civil Defense Unit. In 1967 they became the West Des Moines Auxiliary Police, and today they are called the WDM Police Reserve Unit. This unit provides general support to the police department--as volunteers. These officers serve our community on their own time! Some who have an interest in law enforcement use it as an educational opportunity, but more than anything it is a community service provided by these dedicated individuals.

This is not like any other volunteering. To be a reserve, these officers have strict entrance requirements. They must be US citizens over age 21 with a valid driver's license, good moral character, and a minimum education of 60 hours or 2 years of college. They must pass a physical agility test and complete 150 hours of training with the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy within four years. They must pass weapons certifications tests, a polygraph, a background investigation, a psychological examination, and an oral interview. They also undergo probationary status for one year, and participate in reserve field training and annual in-service training.

The uniform of a reserve officer is identical to that of a full-time officer with the exception of a reserve patch and the word "reserve" on their badges. Our dedicated reserve unit in West Des Moines logged 1,612.75 hours in uniform assisting the Police Department with community events and department activities in 2006. I'd like to thank and honor them for their generous commitment to our City.

For a reserve officer's observations on the "job," read here: http://www.wdm-ia.com/asp/news/news_details.asp?deptid=9&newsid=926.