Volunteers in Police Service

The Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) program provides volunteer support staff to aid sworn and civilian personnel in the effective delivery of services to the community. Volunteers supplement existing Police Department services, freeing paid employees to perform their necessary duties.

Volunteer Areas

The Grand Prairie Police Department’s VIPS Program offers several areas where volunteers may assist including the following:

Chaplain / Crisis Responder
Citizens from the faith community serve as Police Chaplains, Victim Chaplains, and Crisis Responders to provide services to victims of crime, disaster, and terrorism.

Explorer Assistant Advisor
Volunteers assist the sworn Explorer Advisor to plan and implement activities and training for youth members in the Grand Prairie Police Explorers Program. Volunteers attend weekly Explorer meetings, conduct training and community service activities and assist at special events.

Fingerprint Services
Volunteers perform the non-criminal fingerprinting for the Police Department.

Lobby Host
Volunteers welcome visitors, greeting them as they enter the main lobby of the Public Safety Building, escorting and directing them to areas of the building.

General Clerical Assistant
Volunteers perform a variety of clerical and general service tasks assisting police support personnel in routine duties. Volunteers are assigned to any division within the Police Department in need of assistance.

Pawn Assistant
Volunteers assist in the Criminal Investigations Bureau by entering pawn ticket information into a database which then identifies stolen property. Volunteers verify any of the stolen item matches which eliminates duplication of work for detectives.

Victim Services
Volunteers work with Victim Services staff to assist with data entry, organizing donations for victims, and community outreach at special events. Volunteers also assist the Victim Services Coordinator in assessing grant-required data that will assist the Victim Services Program in evaluating and improving services to victims of crime.

Youth Boxing Coach / Tutor
Volunteer coaches and tutors in the Youth Boxing Program help prepare young people to become successful and productive citizens by providing educational and social development activities which foster self-esteem and instill leadership attributes. Coaches train youth participants to compete in Silver Gloves and Golden Gloves matches. Tutors provide assistance to help the youth participants achieve academic success. Note: The Youth Boxing Program does not require the Citizen Police Academy.

How do I become a volunteer?

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.

Qualifications

  • Must be at least 21 years old.
  • Must complete and file a legible application with the Police Department.
  • Must intelligently read and write the English language.
  • Must not have any criminal conviction above the grade of a Class B misdemeanor or any Class B misdemeanor within the past 10 years.
  • Must not have been on any 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 from the date of the court order.
  • Must have a valid Texas driver’s license.
  • 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.
  • Must be of good character.
  • Must not have any mental or physical condition likely to interfere with safe performance of duties.
  • Must pass a drug test.
  • Must successfully complete the application, background, and training process.
  • Must be honest, truthful, and trustworthy and possess a high degree of personal integrity.
  • Ability to write clear, concise, and complete departmental reports.
  • Ability to communicate with the public and other agencies in a professional and courteous manner.
  • Must possess good judgment and common sense and make competent decisions under stressful conditions.
  • Must be able to handle sensitive and confidential information.
  • Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.