Law enforcement agencies are taking on greater responsibilities for community safety at the same time resources are being constrained. Volunteers can offer police agencies much needed support in a variety of ways, such as checking on home bound citizens and fingerprinting children. In order to make the most of volunteer resources, police agencies must invest in volunteer programs. The author discusses the costs of starting a volunteer program, which include the costs of personnel, uniforms, and training. Liability concerns are reviewed and police departments are urged to work with their local government attorneys to determine the required coverage. Other issues considered in this article are policies and procedures of volunteer programs, recruitment and screening considerations, program management issues, and training. Volunteer recognition is an important part of any police volunteer program and should be included in the budget and program plan. Finally, program assessment is a must; issues to consider when assessing a volunteer program include number of volunteers, hours each volunteer contributes, and type of volunteer activities. Within the article there is a textbox describing the profiles of award-winning volunteer programs.