ReserveCop.Com

In many states, volunteer firefighters (VFFs) have the right to participate in their State's pension system.  This is only fair, and it provides a future benefit for a job well done and a serious risk accepted and taken in the interest of public safety.

RLEOs have an even more arduous career.  Pulling a shift as a volunteer law enforcement officer carries continuous risk, that includes considerable liability and work related stress.  All law enforcement officers get second-guessed, investigated, reviewed and have to face issues that a volunteer firefighter would rarely, if ever, endure.

RLEOs are barred from full membership in the FOP, PBA and do not enjoy the legal and professional protections that are provided to full time LEOs.

All States should consider giving their RLEOs the right to participate in the State pension system for law enforcement, especially if such provisions already exist for VFFs.  It's only fair.  We do a good job.  Shouldn't our nation, state, and community do something tangible in return?

We've just posted the pension policy for Washington State which does provide the opportunity for both VFFs and RLEOs to participate.  THANK YOU WASHINGTON STATE!!!

In the past few weeks, we've reported on several off-duty RLEOs being attacked and seriously injured.  The latest was a senior LEO with several decades of experience, ambushed while performing late-night security duty as he took money for a night deposit.  He was in uniform.  His attackers knew what they were doing, and the fact that they were shooting a law enforcement officer didn't seem to matter.

Several years back, a Columbia (SC) deputy was ambushed while in his cruiser in the middle of graveyard shift.  His attackers were gang members who had been given the mission of killing a police officer.

We're targets, on and off duty.  Transnational organized crime is especially brazen, and they don't fear our law enforcement.  A uniformed officer in a market cruiser is simply a target, pure and simple.

Let's keep extra vigilant.  It's time to think about two-officer units, especially at night and in rural areas.  If you have buddies working off duty security shifts, drive by and check on them.  If you have a take-home unit, don't leave your weapons, uniforms, or credentials in the car.  These will be stolen, and very likely used against us.  We don't have to go far abroad to find imposters in police uniforms conducting road blocks and shooting unarmed US federal agents, or targeting our consulate employees.  And, keep your personal vehicles "clean" - nothing to identify you or your family members as affiliated with law enforcement.  It's ashame that it's come to this. And, it's going to get worse...  STAY SAFE!  Pray for our injured LEOs.

The Council for Law Enforcement Reserves is committed to providing a national platform for Reserve Country that includes comprehensive and current information about all things "Reserve."  To this end, the Council has once again completed a national census of RLEOs.  This herculean effort involves contacting state-level agencies in all 50 states, plus three US territories, D.C., and this year - for the first time - we've included Tribal Police.

Reserve Country continues to grow, as this year's survey reflects.  We found more than 86,000 RLEOs serving across the nation.  Importantly, some states already have reserve policies under development, to better facilitate hiring, training, and utilization of RLEOs.

It's important to note that we have current and relatively accurate numbers for our census, with figures being at the most one year old.  Some are estimates - best guesstimates by knowledgeable state officials who track law enforcement officer certification.  This currency of our data appears to be unique.

We do hope to see more tracking of RLEO numbers by state certification authorities. The Council feels that this goal will be achieved, in part, by our annual census, which brings Reserve Country to the attention of the right officials and agencies.  86,000 trained, equipped, and experienced law enforcement personnel are simply too many -- too much of a national resource -- to remain overlooked.  RLEOs of America -- we salute you!  Thanks for serving!  Stay safe.

Sunday May 15th is National Peace Officers Day.  Let's all be thankful for being here, and for our health and ability to still serve.  Let's also reflect on our brothers and sisters who have given their lives this past year -- a new level of violence that hopefully is not a harbinger of things to come...

The Council thanks all of its Members, and especially those who contribute content to the site:  whether you've written articles, participated in the forums, or voted in our polls, or recruited fellow RLEOs to join, your assistance is crucial to building Reserve Country.  Reserve Country includes our RLEOs, other volunteers who support LERPs, the agencies and staff that support reserve programs, and the state and federal administrators and policy makers who support reserves.  Reserve Country also includes all of the LEOs who serve with RLEOs, command us, train us, and who support our mission.

As RLEOs, we take the ultimate risk as a matter of public service, honor, pride and all of those values we hear so little about these days.  I, for one, am proud of Reserve Country: we stand for the best that our communities can offer.  God Bless You All!  Stay safe.