Volunteers

People who volunteer their time with the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office are an integral part of the overall mission of the Sheriff's Office. From search and rescue missions to evidence searches, volunteers are there.

We are always looking for good people who are willing to go above and beyond what it takes to serve their community. The ideal candidates are selfless, dedicated people who are always willing to help others when the call arises. They are strong, energetic, and willing to learn while keeping a positive attitude and encouraging others to do the same.

There are three primary ways to volunteer:

  • The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Reserves
  • Cowlitz County Search and Rescue
  • Cowlitz County Dive Rescue

Reserves

Reserves.jpg
The Sheriff's Reserve Unit is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization made up of people from many walks of life throughout our community. Their primary mission is to assist the Sheriff's Office in routine duties such as patrol work, community oriented policing, disasters, and search and rescue.
We are not accepting reserve applications at this time.


Search and Rescue

By Washington State law, the Sheriff's Office is mandated to be in charge of all search and rescue missions within their jurisdiction (the unincorporated portions of the county). The Sheriff's Office accomplishes this task in cooperation with the Cowlitz County Search and Rescue (CCSAR) team.

CCSAR is an independent, non-profit organization that works under the direction of the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office. Their mission is to save lives and reduce suffering of the family members whose loved one is lost or missing.
                SAR


Deputy Fred Taylor
If you have additional questions, Deputy Justin Taylor is the Search and Rescue Coordinator and can be contacted at (360) 577-3092.

For more information, check out the CCSAR website.

Dive Team




DiveTeam
The Cowlitz County Dive Rescue Team is a professional, non-profit group of volunteers that serves Cowlitz County, Southwest Washington, and its neighbors. They respond to any water-related incident, including:
  • vehicle recovery
  • lost swimmers
  • missing persons near the water
  • boats and boaters in distress
  • flood incidents
  • swift water rescue
  • in-water evidence recovery

Members of the dive team are not only divers, but are also surface support personnel to aid the divers in search and recovery operations. Although all of the members go through specialized training to properly serve the community while staying safe, the are not paid in any way.