Band of Brothers and Sisters -- LASD Reserve Bureau

The U.S. Army Military Troops motto, "Of the troops for the troops, aptly defines what the Los Angeles Sheriff Department's Deputy Reserve Bureau has evolved into. Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station Reserve Chief Deputy Mike Leum relays what Sheriff Lee Baca said at a recent posse (mounted patrol) dinner. "The genesis for the reserve program goes back to the 1800s when the local, lone sheriff had to seek out ordinary citizens and deputize them in order to get the bad guys and bring them to justice."

Leum explains with a more significant shift, "There was a misconception that if a reserve was out on duty, the regular deputy was not getting paid. The reserve is always an addition to the regular patrol duties so we're not taking anybody's job. The great example of how far we've come is that A.L.A.D.S. (Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs) came to the reserves and worked out a great cooperative agreement between volunteers and paid staff this year. Reserves can now get paid $27/hr to go out on patrol after their regular volunteer time is in. That takes the over-time load off of regular deputies who are tapped out in their hours. It's a big testimony to the confidence level that the rest of the department has in the reserves and the work they perform as well." Result: Burn-out issues decrease while safety measures are increased.

An admitted adrenaline junkie (his off time is spent doing triathlons or doing Alcatraz swims), Leum has worked as a reserve for the past 14 years at the Crescenta Valley Station. That's his volunteer night gig. During the day, Mike's 40-hour-a-week civilian job has been at STARS Center in Whittier, which trains the paid deputies (College of the Canyons is another training sight). He says, "The interesting thing about the reserve forces is that it's similar to a microcosm of our own little police department. We recruit, hire [have our own background investigators like on the regular side], train separately and have our own reserve academy to train."

Reserves consist of highly educated and successful people. The cross section runs from electricians to hotel owners. LAPD may have Shaq, but LASD has The Incredible Hulk's Lou Ferrigno.

With 760 reserves, 25 operating out of the Crescenta Valley station, there's always a need for new recruits.