Community Service Unit

Mission Statement

It is the mission of the CSU to work with the Sheriff’s Office to help make Tuolumne County a safer and more enjoyable place to live, work, and visit.

Background

Tuolumne County encompasses 2,293 square miles of territory. The ability of the Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement services over such a wide area is severely limited. The county continues to grow in population and law enforcement needs. The ability of the Sheriff’s Office to meet the rising need for service has become more difficult with the current budget limitations.

The increased need for services by the Sheriff’s Office requires increased personnel and added expenditure of public funds, which are not always available. A partial answer to this problem is the utilization of the volunteer pool of talent and experience in the community.

CSU Volunteer Requirements


*Minimum 18 Years of age
*Must be able to volunteer a minimum of 4 hours per month
*Must maintain professional and private life in a way that exemplifies integrity, trust, and morality as a representative of the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office
*Willingness to be called upon to assist in times of emergency and disaster

CSU Activities

Community Assistance Patrol

The Community Assistance Patrol (CAP) performs a multitude of duties which may include serving subpoenas, vacation checks, handicap parking enforcement, motorist assists, victim witness transport, crime scene security, property bookings, etc. CAP Unit members receive special training and must pass a special drivers test given by the Sheriff’s Office before being allowed to drive a CAP Patrol car. All CAP Volunteers are subject to being called out at any time. CAP volunteers must maintain excellent rapport with other law enforcement agencies.

Marine Enforcement (Boat Patrol)

Boat Patrol volunteers assist the uniformed deputies in patrolling the four main lakes in Tuolumne County. Before being allowed to actually participate in Boat Patrol activities volunteers must successfully pass a lengthy and difficult training period. This training includes first aid and CPR and must be renewed annually. Boat Patrol volunteers may assist uniformed deputies in the following activities:
  • Accident Investigations
  • Boat Patrol
  • Boating Safety Presentations
  • Body Recovery Operations
  • Searches
  • Vessel Assistance
  • Vessel Inspections

Vehicle Maintenance Unit

The Maintenance Unit is comprised of three to five volunteers. Basic duties consist of preventative maintenance on Sheriff’s Office vehicles. The unit meets weekly to clean vehicles, check fluid levels, ferry vehicles to other areas for repairs, check for service due, etc.

CSU Events

CSU participates in the following annual events:
  • Christian Heights Church Easter Pageant
  • County Fair
  • Don Pedro 4th of July Fireworks
  • Family to Family
  • Halloween Patrol
  • Health Fair
  • Home and Garden Show
  • ICES Fair
  • Old Mill Run
  • Railtown 1879
  • Sonora Christmas Parade
  • Soroptimist Family Wellness Fair
  • Tuolumne Lumber Jubilee
  • Twain Harte Christmas Parade
  • Twain Harte Rotary BBQ
  • Twain Harte Rotary Crab Feed
  • Walmart

Other CSU activities include:
  • Neighborhood Watch
  • House Numbering Signs
  • LIvescan Fingerprints-Jamestown Office
  • Supports Search and Rescue
  • Document Shredding
  • Sheriff’s Department Office Assistance