Community Outreach Programs

The Golden Valley Police Department (GVPD) has adopted the nationwide 9PM Routine campaign to educate residents about best safety practices like removing valuables from your car, locking your car, turning on outside lights, locking your home, and more.

One focus area of the campaign is preventing vehicle theft. Read the tips below to ensure you're taking necessary steps in keeping yourself and your vehicle safe.

• Park in well-lit areas.
• Close and lock all windows and doors.
• Never leave your vehicle while it's running.
• Don't leave keys or valuables in your vehicle.

Created by a law enforcement agency in Florida, the 9PM Routine campaign and its hashtag, #9PMRoutine, have been adopted by agencies all over the country and continue to provide value to communities by raising awareness and sharing simple prevention tips. 

Watch for 9PM Routine posts on the GVPD's socials.

Apply for a catalytic converter prevention kit here. 

CommunityCAM is a GVPD program that allows residents who have exterior video surveillance, like a doorbell camera, to help the department if a crime occurs in their neighborhood. Golden Valley businesses are also encouraged to join the program.

How It Works

Joining the program and registering your security camera is as easy as submitting an online form. Then, when a crime occurs in your area, GVPD personnel may contact you to view your video in an attempt to gain more information about the crime.

Participation is voluntary and free and includes a CommunityCAM window decal. Residents and businesses can stop their participation at any time.

What You Should Know

• Registering your camera with the GVPD does not give the department direct access to your camera
• You may withdraw your registration at any time.
• Participant information will be kept private under Minnesota State Statute §13.37 subdivision 3 unless subject to disclosure.

Get Started

Register with CommunityCAM online or stop by the Golden Valley Public Safety building.

For more information on the program, email the Golden Valley Police Department or call 763-593-8079.

Terms Of Use

The goal of the program is to deter crime and promote public safety through collaboration between the Golden Valley Police Department and the community. Accordingly, all registrants agree to the following terms and conditions

• Any footage containing or related to criminal activity may be collected by the Golden Valley Police Department for use as evidence during any stage of a criminal proceeding.
• Under no circumstances shall registrants construe that they are acting as an agent and/or employee of the City of Golden Valley and/or the Golden Valley Police Department through the program.
• If necessary, the Golden Valley Police Department will contact you directly, using the information provided on this site, to request the appropriate video surveillance footage.

The Golden Valley Crime Prevention Fund has been an extraordinary resource for crime prevention efforts in the community.

The fund is comprised of donations from city residents and businesses and is administered by a board of citizens who determine how to allocate the money to best encourage crime reduction in Golden Valley. Recent contributions have supported Neighborhood Watch, Minnesota's Night To Unite, Public Safety In The Parks, and GVPDU Citizen's Academy.

The Crime Prevention Fund has also posted numerous rewards for information leading to arrests.

To Make A Donation

Please send your tax-deductible contribution to:

• Golden Valley Crime Prevention Fund
  7800 Golden Valley Road
  Golden Valley, MN 55427

To provide better communication and more timely updates to participants, in 2019 the GVPD updated its Neighborhood Watch program. This involved redrawing the borders of zones to reflect Golden Valley's changing population and transitioning to electronic delivery as the primary form of communication. 

The Golden Valley Police Department (GVPD) has a solid Police Reserve Unit of volunteer men and women who provide support services to the citizens of Golden Valley and members of the Police Department.

The Police Reserve Program is a way for community members to learn how the GVPD works and give back to their community. It also provides experience to students beginning to train for careers in law enforcement.

Duties

Police reserves assist the GVPD in a variety of functions, including:

• animal control
• community events
• crime prevention
• emergency response to disasters and crisis situations
• Minnesota Night To Unite
• patrol support
• traffic control

Reserve officers spend most of their time patrolling with other reserve officers and assisting sworn officers when needed. But first, they must complete the required training and an evaluation as directed by the department.

Minimum Requirements

To become a Golden Valley Police Reserve Officer, candidates must:

• be at least 20 years old
• be a US citizen
• be a high school graduate or equivalent
• have a valid Minnesota driver’s license and a good driving record
• complete an oral interview
• pass a criminal background investigation and have no convictions
• be in good physical health
• pass a psychological exam
• be available to attend the Hennepin County Reserve School (10-week course, one evening a week)
• volunteer one weekend night a month for patrol
• attend one evening training meeting per month

Training

New reserve officers attend the Hennepin County Reserve Training school for 40 hours of comprehensive police-related training. Topics covered in the reserve officer training program include:

• duties and responsibilities of a reserve officer
• officer safety issues
• use and care of the squad car and its equipment
• shotgun instruction and qualification
• current law enforcement issues
• self-defense
• care of people in custody

After completion of that program, reserve officers attend monthly training with other Golden Valley reserve officers and undergo a field training program while working in the squad car.

To Apply

To seek a position with the Golden Valley Police Reserves, visit the Employment Opportunities page.

To provide our residents a greater understanding of the many duties, services, and functions we provide, the City's Ride-Along Program allows private residents an opportunity to get a close-up view of our police, fire, and public works departments. Ride-alongs help promote positive community relations and are also a great learning tool for individuals interested in police, fire, or public works careers.

Ride-alongs are always subject to staff availability.

Application Process

Only eligible individuals will be considered for participation in the Ride-Along Program. Because of data privacy rights, confidentiality issues, and operational security issues, all applicants must complete a background check prior to being approved. Ride-along requests for minors must be signed by a parent or guardian.

To be considered for a ride-along opportunity, please complete the Ride-Along Application, which includes a data practices rights advisory, a confidentiality agreement, and a waiver of claims/release of liability agreement.

Applications must be turned in by the ride-along candidate in person, or if the candidate is a minor, by both the minor and a parent or legal guardian.