Chuck Allen issued the following statement Tuesday in response to the Police Officers Research Association of Nevada’s comments on Allen’s reserve deputy program.
It’s very unfortunate that the Peace Officers Research Association of Nevada publicly criticized reserve deputy programs that are utilized very successfully nationwide and make it into a campaign attack.
I have been approached by many retired professionals who are anxious to give back through a reserve program, and it is an excellent opportunity for young people to gain experience while awaiting an opportunity to serve as a full-time, paid deputy.
More importantly, this is about the current administration’s attitude toward volunteers. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office website reports 22 reserve deputies while my opponent is quoted saying there are currently 3 active reserve deputies. To me this shows a lack of desire to support and grow this program, including recruiting new reserve deputies.
I don’t believe we should ever turn away a qualified volunteer. Reserve deputies must be highly trained and can help support our sworn deputies in a variety of settings, not limited to riding in a patrol car. Additionally, there are countless other volunteer opportunities within the Sheriff’s Office where volunteers who are not qualified to serve as reserve deputies can lend their expertise.
My plan calls for the same amount of training as that of a full-time, Category 1 peace officer in Nevada. There are absolutely costs to be considered; however, the end result would dramatically increase the level of service to the residents of Washoe County.
