Background on VIPS:
In his 2002 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush announced the creation of the USA Freedom Corps, which is an effort to foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility, building on the generous spirit of the American people. The Citizen Corps programs are part of the USA Freedom Corps initiative and share the common goal of helping communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to crime, natural disasters, and other emergencies.
One of the Citizen Corps programs is Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS). The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is managing and implementing the VIPS Program in partnership with and on behalf of the White House Office of the USA Freedom Corps and the U.S. Department of Justice. The program's ultimate goal is to enhance the capacity of state and local law enforcement to utilize volunteers.
The VIPS Pilot Development Program is open to state and local law enforcement agencies of all sizes in the United States and its territories that are interested in establishing a volunteer program. For definitional purposes, a volunteer is an individual who performs hours of service, without promise, expectation or receipt of compensation for services rendered.
The Colstrip Police Department was the only department to be selected for its interest in community outreach programs. It is the intention of Chief Reinlasoder to use the Community Crime Prevention Council concept as the coordinating group for all volunteer crime prevention programs. The council members will also be an advisory group to the police department. Chief Reinlasoder pointed out that the vision statement of the Colstrip Police is "Serving Tomorrow's Town Today - through Community Policing in Action." Reinlasoder stated, "Community policing is a joint effort by police and citizens to promote a safer community. It means cooperation and power sharing. To be successful police organizations must be willing to work with the community, and citizens must be willing to get involved and do their part also. I would tell citizens that the police are only as effective as the community wants them to be. Volunteers working with the Colstrip Police Department will make these efforts a success story for other communities to emulate."
Chief Reinlasoder travelled to the IACP Headquarters in Alexandria, VA, to meet the VIPS staff and the other award winning organizations. The six organizations are pilot development projects and will share their experiences with other police department and communities interested in establishing volunteer programs.

How can law enforcement agencies utilize volunteers?
Volunteers of all ages can assist their local law enforcement agencies in a wide range of roles and functions. Volunteers can help fill critical gaps in program support and provide needed technical expertise. Volunteers can help provide services that the public wants but that sworn and civilian staff may not have the time to furnish.
Law enforcement agencies will strive to match a volunteer's skills with their own needs. For example, Roger is a retiree who volunteers with his local police department every Tuesday. He answers telephones, enters information in a computer database and files reports. His assistance helps get officers back out on the street more quickly. He also actively participates in the Neighborhood Watch program in his apartment complex.

Sample volunteer activities:
Examples of volunteer activities include, but are not limited to: