Auxiliary Volunteer Services & Citizen Corps

The Grants Pass Police Department augments its service capabilities with a wide contingency of volunteers. the department has utilized volunteers for many years. However, over the past 13 years, the department organized an entire unit of volunteers who answer a variety of needs.

About Auxiliary Volunteers

Auxiliary volunteers are comprised of individuals who want to help out their community by volunteering their time and talents. They provide a wide variety of assistance including traffic control at major fires and police events, handicapped parking patrol, foot patrol in the downtown area, park patrol of all city parks, vacation house checks, clerical assistance, citizen radar program, crime prevention, and traffic control for special events. The Auxiliary also participates as the department representative in many special events and activities throughout the city. During 1998-2005, the Auxiliary volunteered 30,100 hours to the community. They are a wonderful example of what you can do for your community and also for yourself.

If you want to know more about this program and how it functions, download the Volunteers in Policing Manual (PDF). Interested persons may apply by contacting Officer Ken Frownfelter via email or by downloading an Auxiliary Application (PDF) and submitting it to Officer Frownfelter.

Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT)

In addition to those volunteers who have signed up to be auxiliary members of the Grants Pass Police Department, the department has also established a strong relationship with the Citizen Emergency Response Team of Josephine County.

CERT is a group of volunteers who have received emergency preparedness training. In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, they are capable of responding to assist emergency workers. CERT provides a much-needed resource to the city by providing traffic direction and control at many of the small and large-scale special events that occur within the community. These events include the Boatnik Parade, Back to the 50's Cruise, Fourth of July Fireworks, and the Hot Air Balloon Festival, to name just a few.

CERT, a component of Citizen Corps, also makes available to families the Family Emergency Preparedness Handbook (PDF) which details how to build a 72-hour kit and more. These handbooks are available at the courthouse or any Sheriff's Substation.

Emergency Response Organizations

Emergency response volunteer organizations within the City of Grants Pass and Josephine County include (but are not limited to):

• Medical Reserve Corps - 541-474-5325
• Neighborhood Watch and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) - City: 541-450-6245; County: 541-474-5136
• Search and Rescue - 541-474-5300