Lewis County residents looking to get a foot in the door of a law enforcement career have the chance to participate this year in a reserve officer academy close to home.
The Centralia Police Department and Lewis County Sheriff’s Office will sponsor an academy this spring and summer.
“I think it’s a way to kind of test the waters without making it a career choice,” said Detective Sgt. Carl Buster, of the Centralia Police Department. “Most of our reserves go on to full-time work, but some people get into it and quit.”
Buster and deputy Matt Schlecht, of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, work as reserve officer coordinators for their respective agencies. Each started their own careers as reserve officers, and are organizing the upcoming reserve officer academy.
“At least half of our officers here started out as reserves,” Buster said.
At the graduation of the last academy held in Lewis County, at the Winlock Police Department, Buster and Schlecht discussed the possibility of running their own academy. The Centralia Police Department has had academies in the past.
“We thought, ‘Hey, we could do this,’” Buster said.
The academy is scheduled to start April 5 and last through Sept. 3. Classes will take place two nights during the workweek and most Saturdays, resulting in an accumulated 260 hours of training.
“Anyone can apply,” Buster said. “You have to apply to whatever agency you want to be a reserve police officer at.”
Each agency reviews the applications it receives and does background checks and other tests with applicants before they’re approved to join the reserve academy, Buster said.
“Then that agency would sponsor you to go to the academy,” he said.
The Centralia Police Department and Sheriff’s Office are both accepting applications. The police department plans to add five reserve officers through the academy, and the Sheriff’s Office plans to add four.
In total, the academy can accommodate 25 potential reserves, meaning there is room for other agencies to send reserves to the academy.
The Morton, Toledo and Napavine police departments have all expressed interest in sending reserves to the academy, Schlecht said.
If there is still room after Lewis County agencies have sent reserves, the academy will be opened up to out-of-county agencies, Buster said.
Classes will include topics such as defensive tactics, first aid and CPR, criminal law and procedure, firearms instruction, crisis intervention and EVOC training, which stands for emergency vehicle operator course, and will be taught by instructors from local police agencies, the Washington State Patrol and the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, among other organizations. Participants will also practice mock crime scenes and learn about investigating crimes.
Schlecht said agencies use reserves as a “force-multiplier,” especially during holidays or community celebrations.
“But it doesn’t take the place of an officer,” he said.
Schlecht said the Sheriff’s Office often uses its reserves to increase patrols at events that bring a lot of people to an area, such as the Packwood Flea Market.
Class 1 reserves can patrol on their own, but in both agencies are not allowed to investigate felony cases. Class 2 reserves work with a full-time officer.
To apply for the reserve academy, contact Buster at cbuster@cityofcentralia.com or at (360) 330-7680, or contact Schlecht at mathewschlecht@lewiscountywa.gov or at (360) 748-9286.
