What is a reserve deputy?
Three men were sworn as Lowndes County reserve deputies last week.
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office is welcoming three new reserve deputies to the force.
Last week, Andrew Bowles, Noah Chism, and Colton Robinson were sworn in at the county courthouse.
Although they work part-time, Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said they put their full heart into their service.
“The reserve program is for part-time employees that want to give back to their community, who want to contribute to the community… A lot of times, they volunteer their time, and then we call them in for special events or ball games,” said Hawkins.
And sometimes they’re called in to work a deputy shift when the office is short-staffed, Hawkins said.
The reserve deputies train for six months at the Golden Triangle Regional Training Academy.
Hawkins said they host the program once a year in Lowndes County.
“These guys going through the reserve program, they go through a lot of the same courses and same applications full-time officers do, with driving skills and shooting skills and defensive tactics, things of that nature, same thing a normal officer would have to go through when they go the academy.”
Hawkins said the only difference between a reserve deputy and a full-time deputy is the number of hours they work.
“Once they complete all the training programs, the (Field Training Officer) programs, and they’re turned loose, they have arrest power, and they carry a gun and a badge just like a normal deputy does and they have full authority just like a normal deputy does in Lowndes County.”
There are around 20 reserve deputies with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office.
And depending on how long they’ve been working in the paid part-time position, they may be eligible for full-time benefits.
In May, the Board of Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Training proposed a rule that would allow a pathway for reserve deputies with five or more years to qualify for full certification.
With this new rule, the reserve deputies could bypass the full-time law enforcement academy, which lasts for twelve weeks.
Hawkins said this program helps reserve deputies who may be older in age or those who are unable be away from home for a long period of time because of other responsibilities.
Before patrolling the field on their own, the reserve deputies will first train and ride with full-time deputies in the Field Training Officer (FTO) program.
