Volunteer Opportunities - General:

Language Services: Provides Sheriff’s Office personnel with verbal and written language translation services in the correctional and law enforcement environments, in addition to some administrative duties. The position requires some assigned standing shifts, as well as, being scheduled “on call” via pager or phone.

Reserve Deputy: Performs all duties necessary to ensure the security and welfare of staff, inmates, and the community of El Paso County. Patrols an assigned district, enforces applicable civil statutes; answers service calls; conducts criminal investigations; issues summons and complaints; files cases with the District Attorney’s Office, and may be called to testify in court.

Sheriff’s Citizen Patrol: The Sheriff’s Citizen Patrol is a program that allows residents of El Paso County the ability to volunteer within their community performing law enforcement related duties that do not require a sworn officer. The program allows its volunteers to actively participate in a wide variety of areas in law enforcement that were historically unavailable.

Cadet/Explorer: This position provides an introduction for young adults to careers in Law Enforcement and Detentions. Cadets assist with parades, ceremonies, conferences, etc. while receiving invaluable training, obtaining leadership experience, and broadening their knowledge of law enforcement.

Patrol Chaplain: Provide comfort, counseling and spiritual guidance to all Sheriff’s Office members, sworn and civilian. Assist citizens during times of tragedy, such as serious injuries, accidental and natural death, homicides and suicides. Provide invocations and benedictions at Sheriff’s Office functions. Make death notifications.

Victim Advocate: Assist victims of violent crimes with short-term crisis intervention, providing information and resource referrals.

Range Assistant: Assist the Range Master with a variety of duties, such as, preparing and repairing targets; recording range scores, etc.

Driving Instructor: Assist the Driving Instructor in a variety of functions, such as course set up and design, classroom instruction, and other duties as required to complete POST mandated and agency required training.

Citizens' Advisory Council Member: In addition to serving as a conduit from the Sheriff’s Office to the community, members also provide feedback to the Office regarding budget reviews, new and current programs, and community issues.

Inmate Programs:

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Facilitator: Conduct weekly groups using a 12-step method and provide a voluntary fellowship of men and women to attain and maintain sobriety.

Narcotics Anonymous Facilitator: Similar to AA Facilitator, except narcotics addictions are the center of recovery.

Detention Chaplain: Provide worship services, spiritual studies, and counseling to the inmate population.

Reintegration & Recovery Member: Contribute to the success of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office therapeutic treatment program, Reintegration & Recovery (R&R). Volunteers will perform a variety of functions designed to assist inmates from recidivating back into the criminal justice system.

Property Custodian Assistant: Receives, monitors, maintains, and releases inmate property.

Detention Librarian: Obtain, process, and stock an array of literature to the inmate population at the El Paso County Jail.

Detention Program Facilitator: Provides a voluntary program to the inmate population at the El Paso Jail

Emergency Services Division Opportunities:

Wildland Fire Management Member: As an on-call Wildland firefighter, respond to and suppress fires in El Paso County and surrounding areas.

Search and Rescue: The active recruitment period for the El Paso County Search and Rescue team has begun. If you would like more information about the team and how to join, please visit their website at: www.epcsar.org.

Mobile Communications Unit Driver: As an on-call MOCOM responder. Either drives, operates or under special situations drives and operates the Mobile Communications Unit to areas within El Paso County and surrounding areas to setup and assist with communications on large incidences or functions.  

Clerical/Customer Service:

Clerical Assistant: Training: Filing, scanning, data entry for the Training Section.

Inmate Classification: Data entry and general clerical duties.

Intake and Release Assistant: Utilize customer service skills to field inquiries from the public; receive money and bonds for inmates; filing and general clerical duties.

On June 30, 2022, the 2022 Volunteer Celebration was held at the Colorado Springs Marriott.  The last time we were able to gather and celebrate with volunteers was in 2019 at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame! During the luncheon, the following awards were given:

Mary Williamson, Intake & Release and PreTrial Services, was chosen as the 2019 Volunteer of the Year; she was nominated by Intake & Release Specialist, Vita Barnes, and PreTrial Services Program Manager, Dawn Montoya.  They wrote “Mary Williamson has been a dedicated volunteer since 2017.  Mary has become extremely knowledgeable in pre-admit procedures and provides training to new volunteers.  For Pretrial Services, defendants needed to be entered into a new access database.  Mary jumped in without hesitation to provide this valuable support. Mary goes out of her way to help in any way and manner possible with a very positive attitude.  She’s been a blessing to all the staff within Intake & Release and Pretrial Services.  We respectfully request that Mary Williamson be considered the 2019 Volunteer of the Year.”

John Zachman, Reserve Deputy, was chosen as the 2019 Reserve Deputy of the Year; he was nominated by Deputy Nulk and Lt. Sarkisian.  They wrote “John Zachman has been a Reserve Deputy since 2017.  He started riding nearly weekly with myself and other deputies.  He has assisted me in several felony and misdemeanor arrests.  His presence on scene, and sense of officer safety have been a great benefit to me and the other Deputies lucky enough to have him ride with them.”  “I had the pleasure of working with Reserve Deputy Zachman during the search efforts for a missing 11 year old boy.  During this search, I repeatedly observed him going above and beyond the duties of a volunteer.  He did anything asked of him to include digging through trash and looking in dumpsters.  He was crucial to the operation in the manner of collecting consent permission and forms from several residences.”  “I highly recommend Deputy Zachman be awarded the 2019 Volunteer of the Year for his exceptional level of performance as a Reserve Deputy.”

Sheriff’s Citizen Patrol was chosen as the 2019 Outstanding Volunteer Team of the Year; they were nominated by Lt. Paul Mynatt.  He wrote “Throughout 2019, the Sheriff’s Citizen Patrol exceeded any and all expectations I had for them in their dedication to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and community we serve.  The Sheriff’s Citizen Patrol are comprised of individuals who are unselfish, pull long hours, have incredible work ethic, and communicate with me as well or better than any other unit I supervise.  They appear to have a tremendous amount of pride in their dependability, and they always step up!”

Kathleen Dennis, Sheriff’s Citizen Patrol, was chosen as the 2020-2021 Volunteer of the Year; she was nominated by Lt. Gonzalez.  He wrote “As the newly minted Team Leader, Kathy Dennis undertook the arduous task of coordinating team training, setting mission goals, and getting the new team members oriented and trained.  I placed a requirement on the team to undergo a certain number of hours of dedicated patrol training to help them write better reports, have a better understanding of their mission, and provide better services to both the Patrol Division and the Community.  She took control of the team and ensured they all completed the requested training. It is my firm belief that the Sheriff’s Citizen Patrol Unit would not have risen from the ashes of the COVID hiatus without her leadership and dedication, and in turn, she is deserving of the 2020-2021 Volunteer of the Year award.”

Edwin Kohl, Reserve Deputy, was chosen as the 2020-2021 Reserve Deputy of the Year; he was nominated by Lt. Kull.  He wrote “every Tuesday, with very little exception, Edwin Kohl arrives early in the morning and takes responsibility for maintaining a Missing Person Matrix, checking for new cases and adding them to the matrix, reviewing supplements of active cases, performing phone follow-up, and funneling what he learns to detectives or deputies to help locate these individuals.  I have failed to track how many hours this man provides out of his sense of duty and desire to help but I can tell you it is a lot. He impresses me with his willingness to give so much of his time, skills, and abilities toward this office and our community.  Please consider honoring my friend, Edwin Kohl, as the 2020-2021 Volunteer of the Year.”

The Range Assistants were chosen as the 2020-2021 Outstanding Volunteer Team of the Year; they were nominated by Deputy Dawson.  He wrote “2021 was a very trying year for the Training Section, there is no doubt, without the Range volunteers, we could not have completed our missions.  The Range volunteers assisted with numerous tasks such as sorting brass, cleaning the range, building and repairing target frames, teaching academic classes, running qualification courses, equipment inspection and repair, and assisting with instruction on the range.  I recommend these gentlemen be considered for the Volunteer Team of the Year in recognition of their generosity and contribution to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office mission.”

If you see any of the winners, please be sure to congratulate them!!  Our El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Volunteers truly are an asset to the Office and to the citizens of El Paso County.

For additional information, please contact the Volunteer Program Coordinator at (719) 520-7216 or [email protected].

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.”

~ William Shakespeare