Mounted search and rescue

["Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>]

At SAR City last weekend I discovered the CA Reserve Peace Officer's 
Association (CRPOA) also accepts / encourages SAR and Volunteers in Police 
Service as members. Membership includes some limited accident insurance, and 
related in-hospital benefits, rehab, disability, etc., in addition to state 
Disaster Service Worker coverage. They also lobby at the state and national 
level for legislation. For example, on federal taxes volunteer fire can 
write a credit of $2000 per year ... but there is nothing [yet] for law 
enforcement volunteers having any kind of tax advantage.

For more information: www.crpoa.org

Folks in other states might want to investigate if you have a state Reserve 
Officers association that would welcome SAR as members. (Presumably only in 
states where SAR is legally under LE, but that is most of the USA.) Also 
inquire if your state's association is working with Reserve Officer 
organizations in other states to collaborate on lobbying at the national 
level. Down the road we might end up with some kind of tax credit. ;-/

-Jorene