Equipment

• Auxiliary police units generally consist of unpaid volunteers who perform occasional tasks for the police department. They should have uniforms that are similar to those of the police, but not too similar, as this could put an unarmed volunteer in jeopardy if they were to be inadvertently confronted by a criminal. They also need to be issued basic equipment such as handcuffs, flashlight, baton, radio and reflective vest.
  
  

Training

• All members of an auxiliary police unit should receive a minimum amount of training regarding their role and authority. They should have instruction on traffic control methods, basic self-defense, first aid, criminal law, use of handcuffs and police baton and how to interact with the public. Some states have laws mandating certain training for auxiliary officers. Training is critical because the public will often not distinguish between an auxiliary officer and a sworn department member. If an auxiliary officer is unprofessional or rude it will reflect negatively on the entire agency. The department can also be held liable for the actions of the auxiliary police.
  
  

Deployment for Special Events

• Auxiliary police members can be utilized during a parade or street festival that requires street closings. They can man the traffic barricades to ensure compliance and provide direction to motorists seeking alternate routes. Likewise, they can be called out during natural disasters for the same purpose and to assist with notifications or evacuations.
  
  

Force Multipliers

• Officers in an auxiliary can be deployed to act as observers for the department. They can patrol parks or other areas where there have been low-level problems with vandalism or other disorder. Their presence can deter illegal activity, and they will be able to promptly notify the department of any problems they observe. If necessary they can detain offenders until a police officer arrives.
  
  

Other Functions

• If a department is considering a larger force of auxiliary officers, they can be utilized to handle administrative tasks, answer telephones, perform booking, and even answer some non-emergency calls for service, such as parking complaints. This can allow the department to have more sworn officers available to respond to emergencies and perform investigations.
  
  

Cost Savings

• All of these uses for auxiliary police provide significant cost savings for a police department. Overtime costs are mitigated by not having to call in additional officers for special events. Utilizing auxiliary officers in other capacities frees trained and higher-paid police to perform their proper function in the community, reducing the number of new officers required.