SAN FRANCISCO—On Tuesday, December 31, 2024, the San Francisco Police Department disclosed on its Facebook page details about its Auxiliary Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) Volunteers.
The program comprises community members who want to give back to help the SFPD and their neighbors.
“2024 was busy for them with 74 total deployments throughout the year and over 3,100 volunteer hours dedicated to various assignments,” stated the SFPD on its Facebook page.
There were over a dozen new members added to their roster this year, the program is continuing to grow.
The Auxiliary Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) program is designed to train volunteers to assist officers of the SFPD in the execution of their duties. While primarily focused on preparing its volunteers to assist law enforcement after a disaster, the ALERT program provides a wide spectrum of training to its members. ALERT volunteers frequently assist the SFPD in areas outside the disaster arena. It is open to those who live, work, or attend school in San Francisco. Graduates of the San Francisco Police Activities League (P.A.L) Law Enforcement Cadet Academy are also eligible to join. All volunteers must be at least 16 years of age or older.
Volunteers receive training from the SFPD and other San Francisco emergency-related departments.
ALERT volunteers have no special law enforcement powers but may provide crucial support in the hours after a disaster. Volunteers work closely with full-time and/or reserve police officers, helping with tasks including traffic control, foot patrols around businesses and homes, reporting criminal activity, and working with other civilian volunteer groups to assist with medical aid, animal control, delivery of supplies and welfare checks. ALERT volunteers can also help guide people to shelters and reunification centers. In non-emergency situations, we may also call on you to help direct foot and car traffic at street festivals, sports events, concerts, parades, and political demonstrations.
ALERT volunteers also assist the police department during non-emergency times in specific identified areas throughout the year.
As part of their commitment, community members joining ALERT will be required to attend a minimum of one of our four drills per year to maintain their program status and certification. Team Leader and Senior Team Leader status requires additional drill attendances.
To become an ALERT member:
Email us at SFPDALERT@sfgov.org to express your interest and let us know any questions you may have. We will provide you with a DOJ/FBI background questionnaire that you must complete and send to the SFPD Backgrounds Unit in order to schedule a LiveScan fingerprint appointment. After clearing the basic background check (see below) you will be eligible to register for one of the three ALERT Basic training classes offered per year.
ALERT members must complete two, 8-hour classes in order to graduate. The first 8-hour class is the Basic training which must be followed by the second 8-hour Intermediate training class within one calendar year. Basic and Intermediate classes are typically scheduled on successive weekends, but new trainee candidates may defer taking the Intermediate class until a later date provided it is completed within twelve months of the Basic class completion.
