Part-time law enforcement?

February 24, 2024 8:34 PM

Have you heard of any law enforcement agencies that hire part-time officers? If so, can you tell me more?

I don’t plan to work in law enforcement. But I have heard of this idea in regards to improving police recruiting, and I’d like to learn about agencies that do it or have done it. (I asked a specific question. I am not interested in hearing your thoughts about why it wouldn’t work, etc.)

posted by NotLost to Law & Government (12 answers total)

Best answer: Often, smaller police departments and sheriffs’ offices will hire part-timers, but they’d have to acquire/maintain BLET certification and continuing education credits to stay active as a sworn officer. Range time, too, I think. Occasionally you can find a department or sheriff’s office who will hire “civilian” (non-sworn) part-timers or volunteers to handle things like motor vehicle accidents that are property damage only (no injuries, no damage to structures) so that sworn officers can attend to other tasks. I think they will also hire people part-time as evidence techs so long as they can pass a thorough background investigation. Hiring part-time staff is a double-edged sword: you do not have to pay benefits, but part-time staff is often limited in hours that they can work per year due to local/state govt retirement benefits. Also, part-timers often have a full-time job, either with another municipality or a job outside of LEO altogether, so the dept hiring part-timers is competing with the part-timer’s other employment - which is almost always going to take priority.

Source: almost 17 years in public safety.

I would use the terms “part-time police officer” “contract police officer” “civilian crash investigator” in your search.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 9:05 PM on February 24 [3 favorites]

In NSW (and other Australian forces) in the 19th and 20th centuries ‘Special Constables’ were temporarily sworn-in officers in the context of events the regular police were too small to handle, for riot control, and especially in the case of large strikes and industrial action. They were used during the First World War and in the strikes of the 1920s, and the legislation for them was current well into the later 20thC. (It’s different now, ‘Special Constables’ are full-time police who have a specific security role).
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 9:06 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]

Best answer: In NJ, there are 3 classes of Special Law Enforcement Officers (or SLEOs) that are not full time.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:09 PM on February 24 [2 favorites]

In Canada we have Auxillary Police.
Most police forces including RCMP, OPP , various cities have it.

Special constable here is a real cop but with limited powers, typically unarmed.
For example
TTC { transit) cop is one .
Toronto special constable Starting salary of $$77,607 (as of January 2021)
posted by yyz at 7:18 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

Best answer: My very small Midwestern town has several part time officers and only like 2 full time, including the chief. And even the Chief works for at least one other city.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 7:31 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

The UK police (and related forces) have Special Constables.

New York City crossing guards are employees of the NYPD.
posted by caek at 8:10 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

BC has seasonal Park Rangers who are sworn Peace Officers.
posted by Mitheral at 9:28 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

Best answer: British Transport Police offer part time roles in London. Minimum is 20 hours per week.
posted by goo at 3:57 PM on February 25 [1 favorite]

My little town had “reserve officers” that would help with crowd/traffic control and stuff during big tourist events. They wore a uniform, but I don’t think they were actually sworn officers, nor did they have guns.
posted by rockindata at 6:32 PM on February 25 [1 favorite]

There’s also a whole bunch of badge-selling schemes exploiting the loophole in the LEOSA Act where law-enforcement officers are legally permitted to carry a concealed firearm, so if you’ve got the right connections (or money) you can be a “reserve auxiliary officer” that shows up once a year to whatever department has deputized you, and get to call yourself a cop and carry a gun the other 364 days also.
posted by Jon_Evil at 11:10 AM on February 26

I’m seeing several part time postings on indeed for school resource officers. It seems that some university police forces hire part time officers.
posted by oceano at 9:41 AM on February 27

Seasonal beach towns in the US often hire "Summer Specials", e.g. here's Long Beach NY's application. You could search Facebook for "SLEO".
posted by nicwolff at 12:55 PM on March 1 [1 favorite]