Although the VPSO program falls within the Department of Public Safety, the officers are actually employed by the Native nonprofit corporations responsible for the area. VPSO oversight, technical support, training and field support are provided by the Department of Public Safety. The selection of officers in a particular village is jointly approved by the nonprofit corporation and the Alaska State Troopers. Continued training is provided depending on the proficiency of the officer and the specific needs of the area. VPSO officers are unique in that they are selected partly for their familiarity with and background in the geographic area they serve.
Special consideration is given to hiring residents with a long history in the community.
With specialized training unavailable to most villagers, the VPSO officer provides preliminary services that include law enforcement, EMS, first aid, fire fighting assistance, emergency search and rescue support, initial alcohol and drug abuse support for the community, domestic counseling and, equally important, scheduled and emergency contact with the Troopers. At one time, there were over 120 VPSO officers in the state. Presently, the program consists of only 85 VPSO officer positions. Despite the successes of this program, it has been plagued with temporary shortages of officers. Investigations have exposed the most obvious reasons for the relatively high turnover rate among VPSO officers.