Shelley Police Department needs reserve officers

SHELLEY — For anyone who is considering a career in law enforcement, the Shelley Police Department needs to bring on some new reserve officers.

It’s not easy to find the reserve officers SPD needs. It’s unpaid and applicants need to purchase their own equipment. But when SPD Chief Rod Mohler needs to hire a new full-time officer, he looks to his reserves first.

“It gives them a chance to get experience in what we do and see if that’s really a career they want to follow through with,” Mohler said. “I look at them first when I hire full-time or anywhere else.”

Applicants must be at least 21 years old and need to pass the same background checks and go through the same vetting process as regular police officers. If accepted, they will receive much of the same training as regular officers.

That training includes firearms, handcuffing, arrest techniques, ground fighting and more. Reserve officers start out at what’s called a Level Two.

“They start out as an extra set of eyes for the full-time officer on duty. They ride with them as a Level Two,” Mohler said. “Once they qualify to become a Level One, then they’re allowed to take a car out by themselves and police as long as they’re under the supervision of a full-time officer.”

Reserve officers need to work at least 10 hours a month.

“We use them a lot for emergency call outs like for traffic control, Spud Day, any kind of search and rescue. They’re really a huge part of the department, since we don’t have that many officers,” Mohler said.

Anyone interested in applying can find the application form at Shelley City Hall as well as online by clicking here.

“I’m looking for someone that is really wanting to give back to either their community, if they’re from Shelley, or likes the idea of a small town and wants to help and give back,” Mohler said. “That always makes the best officers in my opinion.”