Citizens’ Volunteer Program

If you have the desire to help your community and are 18 years of age, the Miami-Dade Police Department invites you to join the Citizens’ Volunteer Program.  We offer a variety of interesting assignments in various locations throughout the County.  We will accommodate your schedule. You can volunteer to serve during the day, at night, or during weekends.  Furthermore, we can use your present skills or train you in new skills.

Volunteers may work in all of the major areas of the Department, for example: General Investigations Units, District Stations, Community Affairs Bureau, Central Records Bureau, Video Services Section, Fitness Center, Training Bureau, Domestic Crimes Bureau, Intergovernmental Bureau, Narcotics Bureau, and Property & Evidence Bureau.

All volunteers must be residents of Miami-Dade County, be at least 18 years of age, and enjoy good health.  Applicants must satisfactorily pass a background check, are expected to work a minimum of six hours weekly, and provide their own transportation.  The following people are ineligible to participate:

• Persons currently employed as a guard, private detective, security officer, patrolman, County employee, or other similar occupation.
• Persons with a conflict of interest.
• Persons unable to perform the job due to a physical or mental handicap.
• Persons convicted of a felony or misdemeanor; however, certain misdemeanors may be waived.

If you have any additional questions or for more information, please call (305) 471-1716, or e-mail Jabermudez@mdpd.com, or visit our website at http://www.miamidade.gov/mdpd/Citizen Volunteer.asp

Citizen’s Police Academy

The Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) targets community leaders and active citizens who wish to learn about law enforcement training philosophies and strategies.  It is designed to broaden citizen understanding of why various enforcement techniques are employed.  In turn, the Department benefits from increased community awareness of various crime trends as well as challenges faced by police officers on a daily basis.  Each CPA program consists of 13 weekly sessions, which last approximately 4 hours.  During these sessions, students are instructed on various topics such as Homicides, Sexual Crimes, Patrol Procedures, Criminal Law, Use of Force, and Crime Prevention.  At the end of the program, a graduation is held to simulate that of an actual police academy graduation.  Once the student graduates, they are invited to participate in the CPA Alumni Program, which meets quarterly to discuss other police related topics and parallels the Department’s “In-Service Training” ideal.

Interested participants are encouraged to enroll for the next CPA by calling (305) 471-1745, or e-mailing Sergeant Joseph Bermudez at JBermudez@mdpd.com.