Sheriff's department looks for volunteer help

The Linn County Sheriff's Office is searching for some helping hands.

The department is working to expand its volunteer reserve force by half a dozen people. Sheriff Brian Gardner said the recruitment drive will increase the current reserve group to 30 members. That will be the largest reserve force Linn County has ever had.

The expansion allows the department to participate in more community events.

“We would like to participate in as many events as possible. We do get some requests we have to turn down because we don't have the ability to fill those requests,” Gardner said.

A bigger force will also help the full-time crew.

"We primarily have one-man, one-person patrol cars in Linn County, so having the reserve officers allow us to run two-person cars and so it's a little bit greater officer safety at that time,” Sheriff Gardner said.

Reserve officers are volunteers that go through extensive training.

When all is said and done, the applicants will be certified police officers, will carry weapons and will have powers of arrest.

You can call the Linn County Sheriff's Department for more information on how to apply or email a request for an application to

sheriff@linncounty.org.