I was thinking about how to get involved locally and this seems like the best fit for me.

What all is involved?

I am.
It all depends where you live and what level you are going to volunteer for.


I love it. A ton of training most weekends, shooting every week, ride alongs, all good stuff.

liability.

Get fucking shot or stabbed for free? No thanks, if I wanted to do that I'd just wander around NOLA during the night.

I was a sheriff's posse member back in the 80s.

Sheriff disbanded it in the 90s because of liability and training issues.

It was a great experience, however in today's idiocracy, no way I would do it again.

Depends on your state and state laws on peace officers. Assuming you are talking about being a reserve deputy and not something like an unarmed Sheriff's Posse or anything lile that.

In TX reserve SO deputies are Peace Officers and attend law enforcement academy (aka police academy) just like any other peace officer and sit for state test same as any other.  There are some LE training academics that do evening classes and last longer due to modified schedule vs. M-F 9-5 type training, again at least here in TX. Agencies all handle reserves differently, I used to be a Reserve Police Officer in a small town and we covered shifts same as full time officers, sometimes augmented them but we patroled alone as needed, wrote tickets, responded to calls and made arrests same as any full time officer. I served on our tactical unit too and was on a couple of task forces (warrent and drug TFs over my years of doing the job). We were pretty much treated as equals and we met the same standards as FT officerd and our uniforms and badges did not differ from full time, we just didn't work full time and didn't get paid as employees.
With larger agencies, be that PDs or SOs, you tend to be more of an augment to full timers and are more likely to be looked down on and not as professional's, and definitely not equal to them. It's reality in larger agencies. Some do not allow reserves to patrol or work alone. Certain extra or special duties are off limits like SWAT/Tactical units while others may be allowed or encouraged like bike or lake patrols. All depends on agency and their policies. Also I'm talking TX. Some states don't require you be a sworn peace officer and have a form of lesser license for reserves, some states do not give you peace officer status off duty, so away from on duty work you have no police powers at all. I would do your research and maybe see if you can meet some reserve officers from the SO you are looking at and see if it's what your looking for. If you decide to pursue it, own it and take it seriously as if it were your profession. Be in shape, train and learn your job.
Also i did this in the 80s and 90s. Shit is different now. I would never trust an agency to have your back today. You use deadly force on some doper full of meth and had a fentanyl chaser that tried to kill you and he/she fits a particular demographic you will be the next big news story. Look at the full time cops who have been thrown to the wolves before an investigation is complete and the facts are known later to be completely justified in the use of force. What do you think they will do to some volunteer deputy or cop who is not even protected by employment laws or police unions, if applicable. Yes most cops will never use deadly force but it can and does happen and you do need to consider it could happen to you. To include you being the one injured. I had several friends and acquaintances killed or shot in the line of duty, both reserve and FT. I had a buddy who was a reserve in another small town got shot at one night responding to a domestic violence call he got lucky and was not hit. I was injured a couple of times, cuts and other minor injuries, thank goodness that was all the physical injuries I had, on duty it's workers comp. and stitches heal up quick. Nearly killed once or twice working wreaks and missing being struck by a high speed vehicle by inches. More cops get killed by things like this than what you see on TV that makes the news.
Good luck with what ever descision to make

In for answers.

In most areas to be a true reserve, you'll need to go through the academy and become certified. You'll also have to go through all the testing and background checks. Don't know your age, but the physical demands during the academy could be difficult and the older you get, the more difficult to get through testing such as psych test, etc. Your area could be different though. Have you checked what's required? Also I assure you, most agencies will be keeping a keen eye out for guys who are getting in because they think it's cool to carry a gun around or to fight with "the enemy"

last i knew they did basically everything i did except for field sobriety testing, and maybe one other thing. think we had like 12 or 15 reserves. always had a reserve riding with me when i was on the patrol division

Different states have different requirements. In WA the reserve academy is 300+ hours and you are subject to the same training requirements as full time officers. My agency paid reserves provisional wage for shifts no fulltime officers wanted.

But, most reserve programs are being phased out. They dont make financial sense anymore ( here at least) which sucks. I started as a reserve and have a soft spot for the program

former military police
iraq veteran
associates in criminal justice
bachelors in general studies
clean record

I'm guessing the military "police academy" wouldn't transfer over.

I've been a volunteer officer for more than 30 years with 2 different departments.  In first department it started out great and went downhill fast.  The regular officers treated us like crap.  The current department department treats us really well. We have a lot of support from the mayor and village board.  We provide a lot of services that they wouldn't be able to pay a regular to do.  We are armed like the regular officers with glocks 19s, a taser, ASP and pepper spray. We are not authorized long guns.  Sometimes I see unarmed officers in other areas.  I would never do this job unarmed, too many crazy people out there.  My concern would be if  the department would have your back if the SHTF.  In this day and age I'd have to think twice before doing police work.

Don't know your state, but not in Florida. It could possibly serve as a portion of your academy, but I doubt it.

We are a small agency that draws on our reserves heavily, and our reserves are paid for their hours. We put reserves through the FTO program like any other officer, and when they complete it, they are no different than our full-time officers, and can work shifts if needed and the occasional off-duty gig.

I was reserve deputy for about 10 years.  Like stated before, in WA state, academy, training.  Was fun times,  enjoyable. Main thing I didn't like was missing work to go to court for cases involved in, and make sure your liability insurance is current.

You have to get insurance? is that the same for regular timers?