The Sheriff's Reserves are a 50-member volunteer force that started in 1965. Members are on call 24/7 to respond to emergencies in Scott County and occasionally surrounding counties. In 2014, the Sheriff’s Reserves provided over 5,300 hours of community and law enforcement services at no cost to the county taxpayers.
Applicants for reserve deputy positions must meet the same qualifications as the full-time deputies. Among these requirements are a physical agility test, a written test, and a thorough background investigation.
Newly selected reserve deputies undergo 96 hours of initial classroom training, mainly on weekends, taught by instructors certified by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA). This is followed by 200 hours of in-house training, some of which is patrolling with full-time deputies. The in-house training also includes the use of deadly force and less lethal methods. Upon completion of all initial training, reserve deputies have the same authority as their full-time counterparts and can ride with another reserve. Although some equipment is issued, new reserve deputies provide their own uniforms and other gear.