Their reward is clearly in their personal satisfaction of a job well done. We currently have a small, but growing, Sheriff's Explorer program. This program is tailored for youth interested in a career in law enforcement. Many Sheriff's Explorers have gone on to become deputy sheriff's. In fact, several deputies at the San Marcos Station started out years ago as Explorers.
Explorers usually attend an explorer academy prior to being assigned to the station.
This program, commonly known as the Senior Patrol Program, is designed for persons 55 years of age and older. These volunteers attend a 40-60 hour academy before being assigned support tasks. The VPP personnel are a vital member of the station family and provide a wide variety of tasks that would otherwise not be accomplished. The VPP perform vacation home checks while the residents are away. They also assist in a number of other areas including helping the regular deputies at accident scenes and other disasters.