After 13 years with the Rogers Police Department, Daniel Wilcox took a job at Walmart as director of threat management. 

Even though he now works for a corporation, his passion for law enforcement remains strong. As a way to give back to the community and still serve in a role he enjoys, in his spare time Wilcox volunteers with Bentonville Police Department’s Reserve Officer Program. 

A common program with police departments around the country, Bentonville’s reserve officers are required to go through the same background checks and training as full-time officers. He’s been a part of the program since January 2022, when he was approached by a former coworker to join.

“When I got out, I still kind of missed it,” Wilcox said. “It’s just good to get out and see the community, give back to the community.”

A Volunteer Officer’s Role

Bentonville Police Department created its Reserve Officer Program over 20 years ago. The program currently has four unpaid volunteer officers, which is typically the number the department likes to have, said Sgt. Andy Ball, who manages the program.

Volunteer officers in Bentonville work in patrol, doing traffic stops and other service calls. They also help with special events such as the Christmas and Fourth of July parades.

“The reserve officers will ride along with patrol officers and assist as a backing officer,” Ball said. “This helps with having to send another patrol officer to calls.”

Department policy mandates that reserve officers perform a minimum eight hours of duty assignments each month, although many serve more than the required time. They are also required to do a set amount of training and firearm practice each year.

While the police department’s current volunteers all have a law enforcement background, it is not mandatory. Ball explained that some individuals undergo training and participate in the program as a way to explore whether they want to pursue a career in law enforcement before fully committing.

It’s also a way for volunteer officers with a law enforcement background to pass down knowledge to the newer officers on staff. Wilcox’s background includes 10 years in Homeland Security Investigations and seven years in the military.

“Daniel has a diverse background, and I like to put him with officers that could use the extra training and his expertise from many years,” Ball said. “And it comes back down to it doesn’t cost me a dime for him to give that knowledge that he’s got.”

For Wilcox, sharing his knowledge is one of the most rewarding aspects of the program.

“The turnover in law enforcement nowadays is so high that you can sit in and talk and share some wisdom that you’ve learned along the way,” he said.