I had a really enjoyable conversation recently with a RLEO "old-hand" who was telling me about the really fun, interesting opportunities he's been working lately with task force activities. A while back, he was invited to help with a multi-agency drug raid, and he personally nailed a fairly large haul of narcotics. The really interesting op that he told me about involved a federal task force and a four-day-long deal. My friend's agency sent the tasking to their Reserve Division, which provided the required support. What was interesting - and informative - was that only on the last day, when things were winding down, did the federal agents learn that all of their local LEOs were reserves. My friend told me that the fed's surprise was pleasant, and that they conveyed their professional respect for a job well done, and stating that full-timers wouldn't have done any better.
The point here is that RLEOs, when properly integrated into their agency's operations, can truly be a force multiplier. In the above examples, RLEOs were able to perform to professional standards multi-agency taskings that kept their own agency's full-timers free to continue with their assigned duties. Agency operations were not disrupted. And yet, valuable manpower was provided that enabled new missions that reflected well upon their agency. What a win-win situation. This requires that RLEOs be seen -- and treated -- as equals. Across America, in many agencies, I'm proud to report that this is becoming more the norm. Reserve Country has a bright future
