Flint’s police department is looking to add dozens of reserve officers to its ranks.
The first 30 volunteers will undergo training starting later this month.
Police Chief Tim Johnson says the reserve officers will play an important role.
“We need to bridge that gap between the citizens and the police department,” says Johnson.
The citizen volunteers will fill in-house roles and on occasion assist officers in the field. Johnson says the reserve officers will carry weapons.
Chief Johnson knows something about being a reserve officer. That’s how he started his career in law enforcement in Detroit.