YCSO VIP Volunteers Receive Grant for Critical Devices and Training

Published on January 12, 2026

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Volunteers in Protection (VIP) unit has been awarded a hard-to-obtain grant which will help fund devices and training aimed at saving lives in emergency medical situations.

The YCSO VIP unit is receiving $20,000 from the Boston MA-based Invest in Others Charitable Foundation as one of only 16 grants approved from nearly 550 applications nationwide.

VIP Patrol and Training Unit member Dave Schaper said the money will go towards outfitting each VIP patrol vehicle with an automated external defibrillator (AED) and for training on its use, along with providing each VIP member with a body-worn Individual First Aid Kit. The VIPs will also be trained to become certified in CPR and First Aid. 

An AED is a portable device that delivers an electric shock to the heart during sudden cardiac arrest to restore a normal rhythm.