In his 2002 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush announced the creation of the USA Freedom Corps, an effort to foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility, building on the generous spirit of the American people. The Citizen Corps programs are part of the USA Freedom Corps initiative and share the common goal of helping communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to crime, natural disasters, and other emergencies.

One of the Citizen Corps programs is the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) Program. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is managing and implementing the VIPS Program in partnership with and on behalf of the White House Office of the USA Freedom Corps and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice. The program's ultimate goal is to enhance the capacity of state and local law enforcement to utilize volunteers.

The foundation of this national initiative to help state and local law enforcement agencies is /. The website serves as a gateway to information for law enforcement agencies and citizens interested in law enforcement volunteer programs.

The VIPS Program offers the following resources:

• An online directory of existing law enforcement volunteer programs that potential volunteers can search to connect with a program in their community.
• Volunteer Programs: Enhancing Public Safety by Leveraging Resources - a resource guide to assist in the implementation or enhancement of an agency volunteer program.
• An online library of sample documents and forms.
• A model policy.
• Regional training and networking opportunities.
• Technical assistance.
• VIPS Info, a monthly electronic newsletter
• VIPS in Focus publication series.
• Educational videos.
• A discussion group for registered VIPS Programs to share information and ideas.

To learn more about existing programs, go to Local VIPS Programs.

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This website is supported by Award No. 2002-DD-BX-0010 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed on this site do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice.