Community Outreach & Volunteer Opportunities
The Pleasanton Police Department is dedicated to working with the community it serves. Our programs build relationships between the men and women of the police department and the Pleasanton community. Various services and programs are offered to help educate, inform, and empower our community members. We invite you to get involved.
Interested in learning more about the police department?
- Get an inside look at Pleasanton PD through the Citizens’ Academy
- Have unforgettable experiences with Teen Academy
Looking for ways to give back to your community?
- Youth interested in law enforcement are encouraged to become Explorers
- Give back through Volunteers In Police Service (V.I.P.S.)
- Clergy members are invited to learn about our Police Chaplain Program
Citizens’ Academy
The Pleasanton Police Department’s Citizens’ Academy is an interactive course that takes a behind-the-scenes look at local law enforcement. The 15 week experience educates community members and offers transparency about how Pleasanton PD operates. Educational topics include:
- Animal Services
- Crime Prevention
- Patrol Procedures
- Traffic Enforcement
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.)
- K-9 Program
- Use of Force
- Radio Communications
- Narcotics Investigations
The Citizens’ Academy is held once a year in the early spring and is free. Classes meet once a week on Thursday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Pleasanton Police Department. The Academy is offered to those who meet these requirements:
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Live or work in the City of Pleasanton
- No felony convictions
- No arrests within one year of applying
- Complete application, including confidentiality and waiver agreements
- Successfully complete a background check
Interested in the upcoming Citizens’ Academy? For more information or to be added to the waiting list, please call (925) 931-5100 and ask for the Community Services Unit.
Police Explorer Program
The Pleasanton Police Department offers an Explorer program for young adults interested in learning about law enforcement through volunteer work. Teens who join the Explorer Program get training on many law enforcement topics, often using hands-on experiences including:
- Ride-a-longs
- Crime scene investigation
- Laws of arrest
- Traffic control
- Physical training
To enhance their understanding of law enforcement, Police Explorers participate in bimonthly meetings, compete in Explorer competitions, and serve the community at special events with duties like staffing booths or participating in annual parades.
Explorers wear uniforms and hold positions of rank within their organized structure. See the Police Explorer minimum qualifications below and explore a career in law enforcement today!
Minimum Explorer Requirements:
- Complete and submit Explorer application (print version)
- 14 – 20 years old at time of application
- Maintain at least a “C” grade point average
- Must either attend a Pleasanton school or college, live in Pleasanton, or have a family member that works for the City of Pleasanton
- No history of negative contacts with law enforcement or poor conduct including running away, poor school attendance, etc.
- Be of good moral character
- Must demonstrate a good level of responsibility and maturity
- Pass an oral interview and background investigation
V.I.P.S. – Volunteer in Police Service Program
The Pleasanton Police Department Volunteers In Police Service (V.I.P.S.) program is a great way to give back to the community and experience the excitement of police services. These individuals help give patrol officers more flexibility, faster response times, and more time to conduct investigations.
Potential services V.I.P.S. provide:
- Citizens on patrol
- Foot patrol during community events
- Investigations follow-up
- Traffic control
- Vacation checks
- Parking enforcement
- Records management
Every effort is made to match a volunteer’s interest and skill with the needs of the police department. All V.I.P.S. are trained in traffic enforcement, First Aid, CPR, and more. A great way to learn about potential volunteer duties is to attend the Citizens’ Academy, which a volunteer must complete within the first year of service.
Other requirements for becoming a volunteer are:
- Must live or work in the City of Pleasanton
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Pass oral interview
- Be able to volunteer a minimum of 16 hours per month
- Successfully pass a thorough background investigation
- No felony convictions
- Sign confidentiality and waiver agreements
- No misdemeanor arrests within one year of application
For more information (including if we are accepting applications), please contact the Community Services Unit.
Teen Academy
The Teen Academy is a three-week program offered each summer to local teens interested in law enforcement. Classes are taught by Pleasanton police officers through hands-on activities and classroom lectures. This course is a requirement of the Explorer Program.
The Pleasanton Police Department’s Teen Academy is offered FREE of charge to local high school students between the ages of 14 and 18. Typically, applications are available in May and class starts in June. Registration for the 2025 Teen Academy has closed.
For more information about the Teen Academy, please contact the Community Services Unit.
Police Chaplain Program
The Police Chaplain Program, made up of clergy from various denominations in the community and appointed by the Chief of Police, provides spiritual guidance, counseling and comfort in times of crisis.
Police Chaplains often ride-along with officers on patrol and are on call at all times to assist in cases where their counsel and advice might be helpful. The duties of Police Chaplains include:
- Being called to the scene of a traumatic incident to provide comfort to victims, families of victims and officers involved
- Notifying next of kin in death or serious injury incidents
- Counseling individuals or families experiencing stressful situations, including police staff
- Being available to families of officers in traumatic situations
- Visit sick or injured department employees
If you are a member of the clergy and would like to participate in the Pleasanton Police Department’s Chaplain Program please call (925) 931-5100 and ask for the Community Services Unit.
Popular Community Events
The police department regularly engages with the community through various events, including Cone with a Cop, National Night Out, Night to Shine, and Coffee with a Cop. For those interested in scheduling a department tour or requesting a brief visit from an officer, please call (9215) 931-5100 and request the Community Services Sergeant.