Community Programs
Connect with the City's emergency alert system
You can get information - from neighborhood messages to breaking emergency notifications - sent to your phone.
Text GrandRapids to 888777 or fill out the online form with the link below
Citizen Police Academy
Ever wonder what it's like to be a Police Officer? In our Citizen Police Academy program you'll get a peak at what our job is like.
Youth Programs
We offer programs specifically designed for children and young adults. If your child is interested in learning about what we do, they have a couple options.
"You Are Not Alone" (YANA) Check
YANA stands for "You Are Not Alone." Volunteers visit elderly seniors who are shut-in or do not have family or friends to check in on them.
The volunteer YANA Program was designed as a visitation program. The Volunteers will visit elderly senior citizens who are shut-in and do not have family members or friends that check on them.
How does it work?
A volunteer will visit the senior citizen for a two-hour period, between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm. The Volunteers can make one or two visits per week, Monday through Friday, and the visit can last for as little as 5-10 minutes.
The Volunteers are all 18 years of age or older and are dressed in an identifiable uniform and drive City of Grand Rapids vehicles that are identified with "NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES" on the sides.
Emergency Contact
An emergency contact is listed on the application form so that if the Volunteers find something amiss, they can contact the person whom the shut-in wants contacted.
Vacation House Check
The Grand Rapids Police Department is pleased to provide the Vacation House Check service to members of our community. To use this service, you must be absent from your home for at least 4 days and we need to receive this application at least 7 calendar days prior to your scheduled vacation.
Volunteer Programs
There are a few different ways to volunteer with the Grand Rapids Police Department. Your knowledge and experience will count in a very meaningful way in our community!
Volunteer & Neighborhood Services
The Volunteer & Neighborhood Services members serve all community members through assisting with community programs and other reporting duties, keeping officers focused on their most essential duties. For more information, click the button below.
Clergy on Patrol
The Clergy on Patrol program is a partnership between the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) and local clergy of different congregations and faith traditions to help build trust and positive interactions between the police and the neighborhood they serve.
Volunteer Advocate Team
The Volunteer Advocate Team was created in response to the needs of grieving families after a traumatic loss. Volunteer Advocates respond to scenes of unexpected deaths to assist first responders, provide information, and support surviving loved ones.
Victim Services Unit
The Victim Services Unit is designed to comfort and help victims after a crime, connect victims to services and resources they need, and help victims of crime through the healing process.
CityWatch GR
Do you have a security camera system at your residence or business? You can register it with us so we can collect video if a crime happens in the area.
Click the link below and provide the necessary details. Please note: This does NOT give the police live access to your system. It simply lets the department know the location of cameras around the city. Having a database with known locations of surveillance cameras makes it faster for law enforcement to get video footage that may help solve a crime.
