Citizens on Patrol

The Grand Prairie Police Department’s Citizens On Patrol (COP) program provides the opportunity for trained citizen volunteers to assist their police department with designated non-confrontational activities as citizen patrollers and administrative volunteers in order to increase citizen understanding and participation in police activities, enhance crime prevention, and provide additional resources to improve service to the community.

COP volunteers help patrol the city in specially marked decommissioned police cars. Members are trained to work with the police department to act as additional “eyes and ears” to help to report criminal activity and issues requiring the attention of city resources.

Requirements

To become a COP volunteer with the Grand Prairie Police Department, you must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Have a desire to volunteer and donate at least 16 hours of time per calendar month.
2. Ability to recognize, understand and report suspicious activity. Skill in communicating effectively with individuals.
3. Capable of patrolling on foot or in a vehicle. Capable of writing a correct and legible report.
4. Must be a resident of Grand Prairie and be at least 21 years of age.
5. Possess a valid Texas driver’s license and proof of insurance.
6. Must not have any criminal conviction, court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense above the grade of a Class B misdemeanor or any Class B misdemeanor within the past 10 years.
7. Must not have received more than two moving traffic violations or had two preventable accidents, or any combination, in the past 18 months or four in the past 36 months.
8. Must successfully complete the application, background, and training process.

How to Apply

Citizens who are interested in volunteering should first sign up to attend the next Citizen Police Academy (The Grand Prairie Police Department offers two Citizen Police Academy classes per year, and citizens can submit an application to be on the waiting list).

To begin the application process, please start the application process below:

Apply Online

Other Volunteer Opportunities

We offer a Police Explorers program for persons younger than 21 years of age who want to volunteer.

We also have a Volunteers In Police Service (VIPS) program. Our volunteers perform a wide variety of duties throughout the department, enabling our paid personnel to concentrate on specialized tasks and better manage their workflow. The Grand Prairie Police Department reserves the right to approve the assignments of volunteers.