Have you ever wondered what is was really like to be a Police Officer? Maybe you considered a career in Law Enforcement earlier in life, but ended up taking a different career path. Maybe you are presently considering a career in law enforcement, but you're not sure it's what you really want. Whatever the reason, now you have an opportunity to experience first hand what a career in law enforcement would be like by becoming a sworn peace officer as a member of the Oneonta Police Reserve Unit. Your uniform and training are provided by the department. All you provide is the commitment of your time. 

The Oneonta Police Reserve unit is a volunteer organization designed to assist the Oneonta Police Department in the performance of their duties to the people of Oneonta. By remaining a highly trained, flexible, and motivated group, the reserve unit is able to augment the regular police staff at short notice whenever and wherever the need arises.

 

Duties of the Reserve Unit

The duties of Reserve Officers are quite diverse. Under the direction of the Oneonta Police command staff, reserve officers provide the following services:
 

• Supplement the traffic and patrol shifts

• Security during sporting events

• Security during band festivals

• Traffic and crowd control

• Severe and inclement weather emergencies 

• Other services as required

 

Current Reserve Members:

The Oneonta Police Reserve members come from all walks of life, including: active military, management, maintenance personnel, architects, firefighters, teachers, managers, and students. All members have completed the Oneonta Police reserve training program in addition to 320 hours of observation with a field training officer, and keep current with annual basic skills training as required by the department. Many reserve officers have also received further specialized training.

Training Requirements:

After a recruit completes an initial 40 hours of classroom instruction on topics such as: Duties and Responsibilities, Public Relations, Criminal Law & Liability, Vehicle Stops, Mechanics of Arrest, Police Communication, Report Writing, First Aid & CPR, Traffic Direction Firearms, Use of Force, Defensive Tactics, Taser Certification, OC Spray Certification, and Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. After completing the required classroom instruction and passing all test and certifications they begin working with more experienced Field Training Officers. A minimum of 320 hours must be completed in this manner before a recruit can work with a regular police officer.

 

Recruitment and Selection:

Requirements for applying to the Oneonta Police Department Reserve Division:

​

-Must be at least 21 years of age.
-Must have a high school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent.
-Must possess a valid Alabama drivers license.
-Must have a clean driving history.
-Must pass a criminal history check.
-Must be a United States citizen.
-If you are a male you must have registered with the selective service.

​

Once the above requirements have been met, you may contact the Oneonta Police Department in person to obtain an application for the reserve program. The application will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete and must be filled out in our office. You will need the following items to complete the application:

​

-Past three employers with dates, addresses and job title.
-Three character references with addresses, phone numbers and years acquainted.
-Educational background

​

The interview and selection process consist of three levels:

​

Level 1:
After you have submitted an application, your application will be reviewed. If your application is selected as a possible candidate, we will perform the required background investigation and the candidate will be called for an interview with the officer in charge (OIC) of the reserve program.

​

Level 2:
This phase of the interview and selection process consists of an interview with the Lieutenant and/or Chief of Police.

​

Level 3:
This phase of the interview and selection process consists of the physical agility test. Currently the physical agility test mirrors what is required by the police academy. The candidate will be required to complete a 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes and 28 seconds or less. The candidate will also be required to complete a minimum of 20 push-ups and 25 sit-ups within one minute. The candidate will then be required to qualify with a department approved handgun, supplied by the candidate. The candidate will be required to shoot a minimum score of 70% on the APOST course of fire.

​

Once all levels of the selection process have been completed, an applicant will be accepted into the reserve program. The reserve officer will then be required to attend monthly training meetings. In addition to the monthly training meetings, reserves are required to ride a minimum of 24 hours per month to remain in active standing in the program. Reserves are expected to assist with events such as parades, ball games and any other assignments assigned by the OIC of the reserves. Reserves also are expected to be available for call out due to inclement weather.

​

Reserves will receive unlimited and ongoing training in use of force, traffic enforcement, disaster response, self defense and many more aspects of law enforcement. While reserves are non-paid/non-merit employees, we feel that the training they receive is invaluable.

​

If you have any questions or would like to speak with someone about our reserve program, please call the Oneonta Police Department at (205) 625-4351 and ask for Officer Jeremy Dutton or Officer Cory Glasscock.