Fairfax County police are recruiting hometown heroes.
Police officials are looking for locals interested in joining the county’s Auxiliary Police Officer program, an all-volunteer force that supports Fairfax County police officers with everything from traffic stops to natural disasters. They’re also authorized to physically arrest suspects and transport them to detention centers and carry the same equipment as a paid officer — with the exception of a gun.
The current auxiliary force counts doctors, lawyers and retired military personnel among its numbers, police said. Many hold full-time jobs.
“There’s a lot of officers who love doing this — even with their full-time job, they love to give time to Fairfax County police,” auxiliary police officer Mark Hann said in a promotional video posted on the department’s website.
Getting accepted into the program isn’t necessarily easy, however. Applicants must pass a strict background check and should expect a polygraph test, a driving record check and a character evaluation, among other criteria. They’ll also be required to undergo training two nights per week at Chantilly’s Criminal Justice Academy starting in January and lasting 16 weeks.
And take note: Firefighters, military police and even civilians who work in the law-enforcement sector aren’t eligible for the program, police said.
Interested Fairfax residents should call 703-280-0576 or email [email protected] for more information.
