Volunteer with us

Residents and community members can become part of the Sheriff’s Office by volunteering. Become a Special Deputy, volunteer in the jail, or if you’re a young person, get involved with Explorers.

Special deputy volunteers

Special Deputies are community members specially trained for a variety of public safety duties.

Special Deputy duties can include:

  • Search and rescue
  • Horseback mounted patrol
  • Patrol of the county’s lakes and rivers
  • Community events and parades
  • National Night Out/Nite to Unite
  • Open houses, citizen academies, and public demonstrations
  • Emergency callouts
  • Natural disasters
  • Water safety inspections
  • Support patrol operations
  • Traffic and crowd control
  • Crime scene support
  • Amateur radio operators
  • Motorist/citizen assists
  • Medical emergencies
  • Underwater rescue team (must have 2 years’ special deputy experience)

Apply to be a volunteer Special Deputy

For more information about volunteering as a Special Deputy contact Sergeant Troy Kostohryz:

Jail volunteers

More than 100 residents from a variety of community groups volunteer at the Hennepin County Jail to give instruction to inmates. Topics include Alcoholics Anonymous, domestic violence prevention, and religious instruction.

Apply to volunteer at the jail

For more information about volunteering at the jail, contact Adam Hernke:

Explorers youth program

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Explorer Post #3744 is a youth organization sponsored by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and the Boy Scouts of America.

The Explorer program gives young men and women (ages 14-20) a chance to learn about the law enforcement profession through volunteer service to the community. Advisors are sheriff's staff who oversee the operation of the post and act as liaisons between the sheriff’s office and Explorers.

The Explorers continually train for competitions with other Explorer posts from law enforcement agencies across the region. The competitions cover topics such as crime scene search and accident investigation.

For more information about volunteering as an Explorer, contact Deputy Brian Owens: