Reserve
(Official title is “Special Deputy” per the Ohio Revised Code section
311.04) Deputy Sheriffs are volunteers who are utilized to supplement the
Gallia County Sheriff's Office law enforcement manpower. Just like their
full-time counterparts they are professionally trained and duly sworn.
Make no mistake, they have the same arrest powers and are generally assigned
the same duties.
The Reserve
staff performs general law enforcement duties, including crime prevention,
investigations, responds to incident calls, control traffic, and enforces
the laws of the State of Ohio. Many Reserve Deputies assist for special
details such as the Gallia CO Jr. Fair, many local community festivals and
parades, community crime watch meetings, and other local high school
sporting events.
Reserve Deputies
include a variety of professionals such as maintenance technicians,
teachers, firefighters, EMT's, accountants, government employees, and even
people who own their own business.
The Reserve
Special Deputies follow the same rank structure and the deputies are
provided routine in-service training as well as specialized training
throughout the year. In addition every Reserve Deputy is expected to attend
a monthly meeting of the Gallia County Deputy Sheriff Association.
In
order to maintain their commission, Reserve deputies are required to serve a
minimum of ten (10) hours per month, but most greatly exceed this minimum.
The Reserve unit totals approximately 5,000 hours per year in voluntary
service with more than 90 percent of that in direct law enforcement and
crime prevention and prisoner transport activities.
If you reside in
Gallia County, have passed the Ohio Peace Officer exam and are interested in
becoming a Reserve Officer for the Gallia County Sheriff's Office contact
Sheriff Joe Browning at (740) 446-0734.
