2nd & 3rd Quarters CONTENTS 2 NACOP Overview 3 Founders Message 4 All Points Bulletin 5 Quarterly Quick Tips 16 Protecting Children 17 Regional Training 22 NACOP Members List 23 How to Join Us Published quarterly by National Association Citizens On Patrol The Official Quarterly Newsletter of the National Association Citizens On Patrol Dedicated to Citizen Patrol Volunteers, their Organizations, Volunteer Coordinators and all members of Law Enforcement. FEATURES Second Regional Florida Citizen Patrol Conference Over 400 dedicated COP volunteers met on July 15th in Florida pages 6-12 Camarillo, California, Citizens Patrol 30 years of continuous service and still going! pages 18-21 the NACOP Goes to Washington, DC Citizens on Patrol represented at the National Citizen Corps meeting pages 13 PLUS Quick Tips for Holiday Recognition of your volunteers page 5 Welcome to Colorado's Newest Citizen Patrol group page 4 In Memory of a Long Time and Dedicated COP page 4 Two COP Volunteers help save a family from fire page 4 Police Volunteers Protecting our Children from Predators page 16 P.O. Box 727 Corona, CA 92878-0727 Ph: 951 / 898-8551 Fx: 951 / 279-1915 www.nacop.org Editor-in-Chief Arthur J. Femister Production Editor Ms. Jill Femister Suggestions and comments regarding this newsletter are welcome. Pictured above: Members of the Camarillo Police Citizens Patrol unit at the October Seventh Annual NACOP conference with Community Resources unit supervisor, Sgt. Eric Dowd (far left)
NACOP ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW 2 The National Association Citizens On Patrol Mission and Goals A Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation registered and incorporated within the state of California organized to meet the requirements of an IRS 501C3 tax exempt charitable organization. Mission Statement 1) Support existing Citizen Patrol organizations with increased communications, education and training to further increase their professionalism and efficiency, as well as assisting in recruitment and retention efforts. 2) Promote the use of Citizen Patrol organizations in areas where they are not currently used by educating the community as to the many benefits such as reduced crime and cost savings. 3) Educate the public regarding the role of Citizen Patrol organizations and how they benefit the community. 4) Ensure our staff is equipped with the skills necessary for the association to be managed professionally. Long Term Goal Provide Citizen Patrol organizations with the same level of recognition, awareness, and respect that other public safety organizations have which will help to increase the volunteers pride, recruitment and retention. Organization Funding The primary source of funding for the National Association Citizens On Patrol is derived from annual membership dues with occasional grants. All members of the board, staff and special projects volunteer their services with no paid staff. Board of Directors Arthur Femister, Chairman of the Board and Director Mrs. Helen Reardon, Retired, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office Mrs. Amy Kingery, Citizen Member of the Board Dr. John Bair, Reserve Officer, Brea, CA, Police Dept Sgt. Darrell Hibbens, Madera County CA Sheriff's Dept Arthur Femister Helen Reardon Director Tom Carney, North Miami Beach FL Police Dept Executive Staff Arthur Femister, President and Founder Mike McAleavey, Vice President and Founder, City of Perris, CA, Citizens on Patrol Dr. John Bair, Secretary and Treasurer Special Projects Mrs. Jill Femister, Webmaster and Newsletter Editor Timothy Femister, Conference Support & Video Productions Mike McAleavey Amy Kingery Tom Carney Jill Femister Timothy Femister Sgt. Hibbens Dr. John Bair This project was supported by Grant No. 2005-LC-BX-K003 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not represent the official position or policies of the United State Department of Justice.
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 3 Welcome to the combined second and third quarter bonus edition of "Eyes and Ears", the only published and printed newsletter distributed throughout the nation dedicated to Citizen Patrol Volunteers, the Coordinators who support them, and the agencies who embrace them. We're excited to bring you this "Double Bonus" edition covering our second and third quarter as it's filled with pages of pictures and information from our second regional Southeast Citizen Patrol conference held on July 15,, in Melbourne, Florida. Many of you who attended our first regional Florida conference held in July 2004 had kept in touch with us asking if we'd be able to conduct another one. Based on your positive feedback, we requested the necessary funding to host this event as part of a second grant we received from the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the good folks at the Bureau of Justice Assistance for their financial assistance that helped make this second conference possible. As part of this grant funding opportunity which in part allowed us to host the second regional conference, we're now finishing up several additional projects which will benefit all Citizen Patrol groups and volunteers. One project is the new web based online discussion group, also known as a bulletin board, chat room, etc., where folks like yourself can post messages by topic, in folders, regarding various interest areas. As an example, if you'd like to know which agencies provide their Citizen Patrol volunteers with uniform badges, you can create a discussion folder just for this topic. Doing so will allow you to check back to this specific area for updates or communicate directly with those who post a reply. Currently there is no site with this capability available and open to anyone who chooses to utilize it. Be sure to visit the NACOP web site in January 2007 to check out this new addition. Another grant funded project we're close to completing is the re-edited version of the first ever produced Citizen Patrol Public Service TV ad featuring the host of America's Most Wanted, John Walsh. The new video will offer multiple choices to select from including an all John Walsh version with no video background overlay. The new PSA's will offer more choices for individual COP units to select from that best reflects their services to the community. As always, we welcome any feedback and look forward to hearing from you. Until then, Be Safe, Be Seen, Be Heard and continue to Make a Difference! Respectfully, Art Femister Founder and President Coming in the Fourth Quarter Edition Profile of the El Monte, California, Police VCAP's, Volunteers Caring and Patrolling Coverage of the October 7,, Seventh Annual NACOP National Conference and Awards Presentations In addition to founding the NACOP, after a 22 year career in the Information Technology sector, Mr. Femister founded the Public Safety Volunteer Institute to help train Volunteer Coordinators on topics such as how to recruit, manage, reward and retain volunteers and travels the nation conducting workshops. Prior to that he served four years in the U.S. Coast Guard conducting Search and Rescue Missions and Law Enforcement patrols. Mr. Femister has been an active Citizen Patrol volunteer since 1997 and completed a Level II Reserve Police Officer training course. He also serves as an on-call volunteer with his local county Fire Department and serves in his city's CERT, Community Emergency Response Team. Mr. Femister is a recognized expert in the area of Citizen on Patrol and has been featured on TV, Radio and Newspapers. He has received numerous awards for his community service and is one of the few civilian recipients of the IACP's, International Association of Chiefs of Police, "Presidents Coin" and is a invited member of National Criminal Justice Editors Group and other professional organizations. Mr. Femister continues to serve as an active Citizen Patrol Volunteer in addition to the time he donates to managing and running the day to day operations of the NACOP.
ALL POINTS BULLETIN TIPS, FACTS AND UPDATES FROM AROUND THE NATION Welcome to our newest members of the National Association Citizens On Patrol: Anaheim, CA, Police Volunteer Patrol; Blackfoot, ID, Police Citizens Patrol; Citizen Patrol Group of Virginia; Centralia, WA, Police Volunteers; Douglas County, CO, Sheriff's Community Safety Patrol; Flagger County, FL, Sheriff's Citizen Observer Patrol; La Verne, CA, Police RSVPs; Longmont, CO, Police Citizen Volunteer Patrol; Melbourne, FL, Police Volunteer Observance Patrol; Ocala, FL, Police City Watch; Redondo Beach CA VIPS and the West Palm Beach, FL, Police Citizen Observer Patrol. Welcome Colorado's newest Citizen Patrol unit, the Douglas County Sheriff's: 4 The Douglas County Sheriff's Community Safety Volunteer Program involves civilian volunteers who have an interest in law enforcement and assisting the Sheriff s Office by providing various services to the community. Volunteers attend regular training sessions and give presentations on crime prevention, assist with traffic control and patrol in their sharp looking fully outfitted Crown Victoria patrol car, complete reports, and handle calls that do not require a sworn officer. Volunteers who do not wish to patrol or respond to calls may handle various types of duties in an office setting making this program suitable for all ages and abilities. Surprise, Arizona, Citizen Patrol members honored for potential life saving efforts: Surprise Police Department Citizen Patrol Volunteers Frank Frassetto and Ray Vega are heroes to at least one family in Arizona. During an evening patrol several months ago, they saw smoke coming from a home just outside their patrol area. They radioed dispatch and awoke the sleeping family members living in the house just yards from the fire. Both Ray and Frank received the NACOP's first ever "Eyes and Ears" awards in recognition of their alert and quick thinking efforts which resulted in the potential saving of lives from a structure fire. Congratulations to both Ray and Frank. Congratulations to the La Quinta, CA, Police Department, Citizens on Patrol: The recently formed volunteer group received the Volunteer Program of the Year award at the 10th annual Coachella Valley, California, Peace Officer and Public Safety Appreciation awards luncheon. The unit also won an award at the NACOP 7th annual conference for Second Place Best in Show Patrol Vehicle, for their new stylish Dodge Durango. In Memory of Ms. Elva Deleon, Santa Paula, California, Citizens Patrol: A founding member of the Santa Paula, California, Police Citizens Patrol unit since its beginning in 1994, Ms. Elva Deleon passed away unexpectedly on November 19,. According to the unit's coordinator, Officer Jimmy Fogata, "Elva was one of the most dedicated members of the Citizens Patrol. She could be counted on to patrol into the late hours, perform traffic control at any hour, and check homes of residents on vacation. On rare occasions, Elva was called-out to perform English- Spanish translation when a bilingual officer was not on duty. She was the only member to attend a POST Dispatch Academy for the added volunteer task of assisting the Dispatchers in addition to carrying a pager with her on a permanent basis to assist in calling out other members as needed". Elva's last call-out came from San Francisco where she was visiting with relatives just before she passed away. Elva will be greatly missed by all in the community. If you'd like to share noteworthy information about your Citizen Patrol group or a special Volunteer, please forward your information to us for possible inclusion in a future edition of "Eyes and Ears". Please e-mail your story, along with contact information, and any pictures to Art Femister, afemister@nacop.org We look forward to hearing from you!
QUICK TIPS FOR RECOGNIZING VOLUNTEERS Brought to you by the Public Safety Volunteer Institute 5 Recognizing your Volunteers is one of the Keys to success in retaining them for the long term. During a previous Public Safety Volunteer Institute workshop held in California, one particular simple and yet excellent way to accomplish this was discussed by Ms. Chris Wolf of the Chino, Calif. Police Dept. We thank Ms. Wolf for her willingness to share this great holiday idea, again, to recognize Your Volunteers! The Best Gifts Are From The Heart... As the saying goes, pictured to the right is a handmade book of quotes put together by Ms. Chris Wolf, Coordinator of the City of Chino, California, Police Community Support Team Volunteers. To help recognize the department's volunteers several holidays ago, Chris gathered quotes from Police Officers and employees regarding the volunteers. With quotes in hand, Chris printed each one on an individual page and then compiled them all together and bound them into a book of quotes. According to Chris, "several of my Volunteers had tears in their eyes as they had no idea how much they were appreciated by the department's civilian employees and of course our Police Officers". Pictured to the left: A quote from one of the Chino Police Department employees stating how proud she is of the Volunteers and thanking them for their efforts. Pictured Above: Police, Sheriff's and EMA agency Volunteer Coordinators and key volunteers from four states together in September at the Ohio two-day workshop, "How to Recruit, Manage, Reward and Retain Law Enforcement Volunteers" workshop presented by the Public Safety Volunteer Institute.
Regional Citizen Patrol Conference Coverage 6 Southeastern Regional Citizens Patrol Conference Melbourne, Florida, held on Saturday, July 15, at the Florida Institute of Technology Gleason Performing Arts Center << Presented by the National Association Citizens On Patrol with funding from the >> We'd like to thank the Melbourne and Palm Bay Citizens Patrol and Police departments for their wonderful assistance in helping to make this conference a tremendous success, and all the agency Volunteer Coordinators who worked so hard to get the word out to their volunteers to attend in addition to the speakers who gave freely of their time to be with us and share their expert knowledge that will help make all of us better at what we do and in the end, our communities safer. And thank you to the U.S. DOJ's Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance for making this day possible by providing the grant funding to host this tremendous event, Thank You All Again!! Congratulations to the following agencies for their awards, as voted by the attendees: Best in Show Patrol Vehicle: Satellite Beach Police Volunteers, Second Runner Up: North Miami Beach Police Citizens Patrol Traffic Monitoring car, Third Runner Up: Okeechobee County Sheriff's PT Cruiser, Most Unique Patrol Vehicle: Indian River County Sheriff's PT Cruiser, Best Looking Agency Volunteer Uniform: Indian River County Sheriff's, Largest Attended Agency: Seminole County Sheriff s, Furthest Traveled to the Conference: Madera County California Sheriff's Citizens Patrol, Second Furthest Traveled: Chelsea, Alabama, Furthest Driven Patrol Car: Coral Gables Police COP The July 15, Florida Citizen Patrol Conference Agenda Consisted of: 9:00am Welcome and opening remarks, Agenda Review, Video Tributes to Citizen Patrol Volunteers, Volunteer Coordinators, and to our Brave Men and Women fighting the war against terrorism Sexual Predators, Who are they and How to Protect our Nations Children" Speakers: Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent Denise Nevers and FBI Special Agent Keith Scott The Dangers of Downed Power Lines and How to Deal with them Speaker: Mr. Craig Block, Manager, Florida Power and Light Company 11:30-1:30 Lunch and Networking Time. The Seven Early Warning Signs of Terrorism Speaker: Tom Carney, Chief of Staff and Director of Police Services, North Miami Beach Police Protecting Your Back from Injuries on Duty Speaker: Dr. John Bair, Brea, California 4:00 pm End of Conference, awards presentation for patrol cars, uniforms, etc., as voted by the attendees. 82 patrol vehicles then staged for the longest video recorded Volunteer Patrol Vehicle Caravan. Special thanks to Chief Bill Berger of the Palm Bay Florida Police Department for providing the photography and video services on this special day, and to PBPD Crime Scene Photographer John Hollister for the great pictures and end of conference caravan video, thank you again for support!
Florida Regional Citizen Patrol Conference July 15,, Melbourne, Florida 7 Below are pictures of the presenters at the second regional Florida Citizens Patrol Conference Pictured above: Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent Denise Nevers and FBI Special Agent Keith Scott during their presentation "Protecting Children from Sexual Predators" alerting the attendees to the most common dangers children face today. Pictured above: Mr. Craig Block, Manager, Florida Power and Light Company, during his presentation on "Dealing with Down Power Lines during and after a Disaster" educating the attendees on the dangers of power lines and how to avoid injuries to themselves and others. Pictured above: Director Tom Carney, North Miami Beach Police Department, during his presentation "The Seven Signs of Potential Terrorism in your Community" sharing with the attendees the seven most common types of suspicious behavior indicating potential terrorist plotting. Pictured above: Dr. John Bair, Doctor of Chiropractic and Reserve Police Officer in Brea, California, presents helpful information to the attendees on preventative measures they can take to help protect their backs and spinal area from injuries while on duty and patrolling for long periods of time. View these photos and 50 more from the Florida Conference on line at www.nacop.org/photogallery.htm
Florida Regional Citizen Patrol Conference July 15,, Melbourne, Florida 8 The following pictures are some of the attendees at the second Florida Regional Citizens Patrol Conference View these photos and 50 more from the Florida Conference on line at www.nacop.org/photogallery.htm
Florida Regional C.O.P. Conference July 15,, Melbourne, Florida 9 The following pictures are some of the attendees at the second Florida Regional Citizens Patrol Conference View these photos and 50 more from the Florida Conference on line at www.nacop.org/photogallery.htm
Florida Regional C.O.P. Conference July 15,, Melbourne, Florida 10 The following pictures are some of the attendees at the second Florida Regional Citizens Patrol Conference View these photos and 50 more from the Florida Conference on line at www.nacop.org/photogallery.htm
Florida Regional C.O.P. Conference July 15,, Melbourne, Florida 11 The following pictures are some of the patrol vehicles at the 2nd regional Florida Citizens Patrol Conference Pictured above and below are some of the 82 patrol vehicles staging for the end-of-conference caravan. Pictured above is Satellite Beach Citizens Patrol Vehicle which was voted by the attendees as "Best in Show" Patrol Vehicle. Pictured above is Indian River County Sheriff's Volunteer Patrol Vehicle voted "Most Unique" Patrol Vehicle. View these photos and 50 more from the Florida Conference on line at www.nacop.org/photogallery.htm
Florida Regional C.O.P. Conference July 15,, Melbourne, Florida 12 Pictured above is North Miami Beach Police Volunteer patrol vehicle which was voted "Best In Show - 2nd Runner Up" Pictured above is Okeechobee County Sheriff's Volunteer patrol vehicle which was voted "Best In Show - 3rd Runner Up" View these photos and 50 more from the Florida Conference on line at www.nacop.org/photogallery.htm
The NACOP Goes To Washington, DC 13 Pictured to the left: Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff introduces President Bush at the National Citizen Corps meeting prior to President Bush addressing the various non-profit and government organizations in attendance including the National Association Citizens On Patrol. Pictured above: DHS, Under Secretary for Preparedness, George W. Foresman, speaks to the attendees on the topic of Building Relationships and Collaboration for a Culture of Preparedness. Pictured above: Ms. Frances Fragos Townsend, Assistant to the President, speaking on the issue of non governmental organizations, i.e. nonprofits, assisting the nation with readiness and response support before and after disasters. Pictured above: Ms. Tracey Henke, DHS Assistant Secretary, speaks to the attendees discussing their role in assisting the government to help prepare the nation's communities for possible disasters. This past summer, the National Association Citizens On Patrol was honored to be invited and to attend the June 1,, National Citizen Corps partners meeting held one block from the White House in Washington, DC, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Hall of Flags meeting room. This was the first time since the formation of the Citizen Corps program under President Bush in January 2002 that Citizens on Patrol were specifically represented at the meeting. Representing the NACOP was the organization's President and Founder, Arthur Femister. Dozens of national non-profit, faith based and governmental organizations attended this annual meeting with the goal sharing and receiving information related to disaster preparedness, planning and response. Presentations throughout the day included: Remarks by the President of the United States of America, George W. Bush; The Honorable George W. Foresman, Under Secretary for Preparedness, U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Building Relationships and Collaboration for a Culture of Preparedness; The Honorable Tracy A. Henke Assistant Secretary, Office of Grants and Training, U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Community Preparedness ~ Today and the Future; Remarks by The Honorable Frances Fragos Townsend Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; a Citizen Corps Overview, by Ms. Liz DiGregorio, Acting Director, Preparedness Directorate, US Department of Homeland Security; a Luncheon Presentation on the topic of Pandemic Influenza Planning by Dr. Richard Hatchett, Associate Director, NIAID/NIH, US Department of Health and Human Services followed by afternoon panel discussions on "Integrating Government and Non-Government Resources" and Understanding Personal Preparedness Barriers and Motivators: Panel discussions on strategies and tools for integration of non-governmental resources in to plans, training, exercises, and response followed by the closing session providing an Open Group Discussion on Community Preparedness where attendees were able to voice their thoughts on how the organizations they represent can assist in the role in preparedness.
Quarterly Featured Editorial Column 14 Chicken Or The Egg Who is responsible for preparedness? By: Art Femister, Volunteers in Law Enforcement Contributor, Officer.com Reprinted from the June 8, officer.com editorial feature column On June 1,, at the National Citizens Corps meeting in Washington, DC, a host of high level speakers, beginning with President George W. Bush, addressed the audience regarding the importance of being prepared for future disasters. Throughout the day, governmental agencies and national non-profit organizations, such as National Association Citizens On Patrol, were asked to carry home the message to our communities that, while the federal government is working hard to strengthen its response capabilities for future disasters, communities and individuals must be prepared to take care of themselves for at least the first 72 hours, or longer. It is incumbent upon each citizen to develop his or her own personal and family disaster preparedness kit which will enable them to be self sufficient until assistance arrives, whether it is in the form or local, state, and/or federal resources. While the ultimate responsibility for being prepared falls on the individual citizens, in the end, if they fail to do so, it s the public safety agencies, police, sheriff s and fire departments that will be called upon, at the worst possible time, to respond to their dire needs for life saving supplies. To make matters worse, as much as the citizens of your community have been for warned to be prepared, when they choose not to and call for help, which may not arrive, the first people they will blame are those who warned them. While it may not be part of your duties as a law enforcement agency to educate the community on their role for preparedness, agencies who have or are willing to embrace a volunteer staff may want to consider utilizing them to do so. When you consider the down side to not doing so is being overwhelmed by calls for service during and after a disaster or worse, loss of life from those who chose not to be prepared, it makes sense to at least consider using trained staff volunteers to assist. Volunteers in Preparedness Support While civilian law enforcement volunteers are typically used to support agencies with non-enforcement actions related to crime prevention, there is no reason why your volunteers could not assist with disaster preparedness training and/or support during a disaster. Two examples of how staff volunteers have been utilized within these roles are: This information is maintained should law enforcement need to make contact after hours to notify of a break in or other issues requiring a response by the business owner or manager. The benefit to the officers is that they are not kept waiting at a business location for endless hours for someone to respond to secure the business while dispatch is calling outdated or incorrect phone numbers.
Quarterly Featured Editorial Column 15 continued from page 14 Loss of Life Prevention: Within the boundaries of a mid-sized city in Southern California sits a neighborhood of approximately 400 homes that were built surrounded by beautiful lush pine trees which the residents enjoy waking up and smelling, until one catches on fire and ignites the entire community. If this happens, a concern of the Chief of Police was, who do we evacuate first? Utilizing his trusted and trained staff of police and citizen patrol volunteers a survey form was developed to gather the necessary information to determine who should be evacuated first. Within one Saturday morning, the group of volunteers was able to go door to door of each residence to determine who, if anyone, was handicapped, bedridden or would otherwise need assistance evacuating should the order be given to do so. The volunteer staff then developed a database of which homes they should go to first in the case of an evacuation order to provide assistance. The program was so successful that it was expanded to survey local businesses to update the emergency contact information. Live Sustaining Disaster Support: After Hurricane Wilma hit Florida in 2005, one particular city was home to many high rise apartments occupied by low income elderly citizens. The police department was receiving 911 calls from people who were trapped on the upper floors and unable to get down due to lack of power to the elevators. They were not prepared for the disaster and were out of food and water to sustain life. The Chief of Police mobilized his volunteer unit to package boxes of basic food and water supplies. The volunteers then went door to door within the high rises seeking those who were not able to walk down. Once identified, the volunteers worked in teams to get the get a basic three day supply of food to the needy. Rather than walk up and down the long flights of stairs inside the hot and humid buildings, the volunteers walked out to the balconies of the apartments and lowered ropes to awaiting volunteers who attached supply boxes which were then hoisted up to the awaiting residents. In this example, while it was the responsibility of the residents to have provided for their basic needs, it s understandable how and why they may not have been able to do so. Rather than turn a blind eye to this class of special needs citizens, the police department was able to utilize their trusted volunteers to bring life sustaining products to them for which the residents were extremely grateful. The above two examples are just a small sampling of how al trained and trusted group of staff volunteers can assist your law enforcement department before and after a disaster to help avoid loss of life. Other examples to consider would be utilizing volunteers to host neighborhood preparedness parties in conjunction with and/or in addition to neighborhood watch meetings. Doing so will help educate residents on what basic steps they can take to be prepared for whatever type of disasters, natural or man made, your community is most likely to face. As seen time and time again, law enforcement volunteers can and will respond when called upon to help their communities and fellow citizens in many ways beyond their traditional duties.
Protecting Children from Predators 16 Protecting our nation's children from sexual predators, abductions, and those who wish them harm is one of the greatest services Citizens on Patrol and other law enforcement volunteers can do for our communities. The National Association Citizens On Patrol is committed to helping protect our nation's children by providing the thousands of dedicated Police and Sheriff's volunteers across our great nation with the resources and information necessary to do so. Starting with this edition of our quarterly newsletter, and each one following, we will be working to bring you important information on practical ideas and programs you can implement within your volunteer organization and/or as an individual to help protect the children within your community. And remember, the child you protect could very well be your own so please take a moment to read the below highlights of valuable programs. Wireless Amber Alerts, a critical tool for real time patrol information and for citizens. Pictured above during a ceremony announcing the Public Service Ads for the Wireless Amber Alert at the Department of Justice on May 25,, from left to right are: CTIA CEO Mr. Largent, Assistant Attorney General and national AMBER Alert Coordinator Ms. Regina B. Schofield, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Mr. John Bish, father of abducted child, Molly Bish. Sex Offenders Address Verification Learn more at: www.auxpolice.org Statistics show that the first three hours after an abduction are the most critical in the recovery of an abducted child. One critical tool that has helped recover over 260 children to date is the Amber Alert System. AMBER stands for America s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. In 2003, President Bush signed the PROTECT Act authorizing the national AMBER Alert program appointing the Department of Justice as the agency responsible for coordinating AMBER Alerts on the national level. The alert system is now available free of charge to anyone with a cell phone. To receive immediate Amber Alert information for your community via a cell phone text message, when announced, please log on to: www.wirelessamberalerts.org Pictured to the left: Members of the Baltimore County, Maryland, Police Auxiliary unit, a team of dedicated police volunteers conducting an annual SORT visit. The Auxiliary Police members do not carry firearms but are issued ASP and other nonlethal devices. One of this unit's most valuable services to the community is their SORT, Sexual Offender Registration Team, verification program. Once a year members of the SORT unit visit the homes of registered sex offenders to verify they live at the address they've listed, as required by law. Without actual verification, dangerous sex offenders could be violating the law by residing at an address not listed and thus placing children and others at risk.
Volunteer Coordinators Training Sponsored Advertisement 17 Public Safety Volunteer Institute, P.O. Box 727, Corona, CA, 92878-0727 Office: 951-279-6893 www.psvi.org Fax: 951-279-1915 Learn How to Start, Improve and/or Fund a Citizens Patrol or Police / Sheriff's Volunteer Unit by attending one of our Two-Day Workshop being held monthly across the nation in major cities. "How to Recruit, Manage, Reward, and Retain Police & Sheriff's Volunteers" and/or One Day Workshop "Fundraising and Grants for Your Volunteer Organization" Please join us for our one of a kind workshops developed specifically for Police, Sheriff's and Public Safety Agencies. Come see why over 500 of Public Safety Agencies from over 35 states have attended these workshops with great success since 2003. Your Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back, it's that simple! NACOP members, mention this ad and receive a 20% discount off workshop fees. To learn more, log onto: www.psvi.org to view a list of workshops being held across the nation in 2007 or contact us to schedule an onsite workshop customized just for your agency..
PROFILE: CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA, POLICE, CITIZENS ON PATROL 18 Organization Snapshot Camarillo Police Citizens Patrol City of Camarillo, California Year Started: 1976 Number of Members: 37 City Population: 64,000 Website: www.nacop.org/camarillo Provide an overview of your community, where the C.O.P. group operates. The City of Camarillo is located near the coast in central Ventura County, California, approximately 60 miles north of Los Angeles. The city was incorporated in 1964 with a population of approximately 10,000 within an area of 5.5 square miles. The city has contracted, since incorporation, with the Ventura County Sheriff s Department for its police services. Today, the population is approximately 64,000 within an area of just over 19 square miles. Who started the organization and why? In March of 1976, deputies of the Camarillo Police Department embarked on a plan to organize civilian volunteers to serve as extra eyes and ears towards crime prevention and other law enforcement activities. Thus the Camarillo Citizen CB Patrol was born. How many people were initially involved and what did the organization look like then? Early members (approximately 20-25) were primarily Citizen Band radio owners who patrolled the city in plain clothes and in their own personal vehicles, communicating to a CB base station who in turn communicated Pictured above: Members of the Camarillo Citizens Patrol pose for a group photo at the NACOP Sixth Annual Citizen Patrol Conference with COP Jim Walker in the middle holding the 2005 Citizen Patrol Volunteer of the Year award plaque having just received it. with the Ventura Watch Commander. In late 1976, the Camarillo City Council funded Citizen Band radios for all the city police units thus improving communications with CCP members. Around 1984, CB radios went by the wayside for portable police radios. What were your initial goals, crime reduction only, assist law enforcement with traffic, etc. The goal was to patrol the city on weekends, serving as extra eyes and ears for the department. Members were trained by deputies in patrol procedures, crime suppression, search techniques for lost children, disaster operations, traffic control, and other activities. What type of challenges did you face initially and what are they now if any? Membership recruitment and retention; initial and ongoing training in proper patrol procedures, radio procedures, and other typical law enforcement activities. If you have patrol cars, what was your first patrol car, (make, model, condition, etc) A major CCP milestone occurred in late 1997. The Camarillo City Council first provided funding for our current style of uniform, two refurbished white Ford Crown Victoria police radio equipped patrol units, and CCP members no longer used their personal vehicles for patrol. What does your Citizen Patrol car fleet look like now, how many cars, what type, etc? Since early 2001, we have two white Toyota Prius Hybrid police radio equipped patrol units. What type of uniforms do you have? Polo shirts? Sheriffs uniforms? Combination? Our original and current uniform (issued by city funding) consists of a regulation khaki short sleeve uniform shirt with Citizen Patrol patches, olive green regulation uniform trousers, black basket weave belt, olive green Sheriff s ball cap, and an olive green nylon jacket with CCP patches. As of this year, we also issue a white Polo shirt with CCP logo for new members going through initial training and for all CCP members non-patrol activities (e.g., Kid Print). How many Citizen Patrol volunteers do you actively have now? Including new applicants under Background Investigation and new members in initial training, we have 37 volunteers. Over the past several years, we have averaged 25-30 members. What type of equipment do your members carry? Flashlights? Cuffs? Pepper Spray? etc. First, and most important, CCP members are NOT allowed to carry weapons of any type, including Pepper Spray or knives. Cuffs are
PROFILE: CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA, POLICE, CITIZENS ON PATROL 19 also not allowed. Typically, while performing their duties, each member carries a department provided portable hand-held police radio, and they share a donated cell phone. Our patrol units are equipped with First-Aid kits, stuffed animals, flares, traffic cones, flashlights, and limited rain-gear. Most members have an individual equipment bag to carry their personal flashlight, supplemental first-aid equipment, binoculars, rain-gear, and other items they deem necessary for patrol and non-patrol duties. Where is your Citizen Patrol office located - at the police station? Separate office? No office? The police department provides a dedicated CCP office, file cabinet, and equipment cabinet within the Community Resources Unit at the station. Storage area is also provided for Kid Print equipment, the mobile McGruff robot unit, and other CCP equipment. Last year, a dedicated station office and computer equipment were also provided for our Graffiti Task Force personnel. How do you communicate between cars, volunteers and Law Enforcement? Cell phones, radios? Our CCP police multi-channel radio equipped patrol units and hand-held portable radios provide direct communication to the Sheriff s Communications Center (SCC/Dispatch) and deputy patrol units (car-to-car). CCP patrol units have dedicated call-signs (8V1, 8V2) and members have individual ID numbers that are entered in the Sheriff s Computer Aided Dispatch system when we go on patrol. Secondary communications are provided by donated cell phones taken on patrol. How do you dispatch Citizen Patrol volunteers to accident scenes or calls for LE assistance? Normally, while on patrol, CCP members are trained to automatically respond to situations that do not present a compromise to their safety and where assistance can be provided. However, it is not uncommon for SCC to dispatch CCP units to a safe call, such as a traffic collision, traffic hazard, or missing person. With our strict zero confrontation and non-involvement policy, we do not respond to dangerous calls such as bank robberies, family disputes, or fights. For a major emergency call-out, The CCP Director is notified and a Call Tree is activated to notify all CCP members. What type on initial training do Citizen Patrol volunteers get and is there any ongoing training? New CCP members are provided 40-45 hours of initial training. This training consists of 3- Pictured above: One of the COP's patrol vehicles, a Toyota Prius. 5 hours of station orientation including prepatrol, patrol, and post-patrol procedures, special events, equipment, and a station tour. Each new member is required to successfully complete five 8-hour shifts of patrol training with our experienced CCP Trainers. We have a CCP Training Officer who works with our Director and Coordinator, providing both internal and external in-service training at our monthly meeting and special training as appropriate. New members are also encouraged to attend the 12-week Camarillo Citizen Academy if they have not already attended. Do you offer any Special Services to the public or LE such as fingerprinting, vacation checks, traffic control, crime scene control, stolen car checks, etc? We perform vacation house checks, extra patrols and areas of concentrated patrol, surveillance/ stake outs, home security surveys, special investigations, etc. Our activities in community events include National Night Out, Camarillo Christmas Parade, Fourth of July celebration, Camarillo Street Fiesta, St Mary Magdalene Church Fiesta, etc. In July 2001, our Kid Print program changed from a manual process to a computerized system, providing parents with a digital credit card style ID card. To date, we have printed over 4,700 children with these new ID cards. We participate as actors in role-playing for the Sheriff s Academy, the Explorer Academy, SWAT, and other activities such as mock bank robbers for bank employee training. Pictured above: Camarillo Citizen Patrol volunteers staffing the Kid Print child identification program table at a local event assisting police. Other crime prevention and public service programs we volunteer for include the Camarillo Citizen Academy; McGruff; child passenger seat
CITIZEN PATROL GROUP PROFILE: CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA, POLICE, CITIZENS ON PATROL 20 safety inspections; The Internet and Your Child; Crime Alerts; and police station administrative support. Pictured above: example of a Child ID card provided by the COP group. In August 2004, CCP members formed its Graffiti Task Force with the goal of photographing graffiti while on patrol and cataloging it to help patrol deputies and detectives investigate the growing graffiti problem in Camarillo. What are the qualifications to become a Citizen Patrol members and what type of background check do applicants go through? Potential CCP members must be at least 21 years of age, possess a valid California Driver s License, and be a resident of Camarillo and its outlying unincorporated areas or a person having a legitimate interest, as determined by the CCP Advisor, in the welfare of the residents of the City of Camarillo (this requirement may be waived). Applicants must be in good general health with no major disabilities and should be willing to enthusiastically contribute a minimum of 16 hours per month (or 48 hours per quarter). Potential members must possess the education and skills necessary to accomplish assigned tasks. The candidate must be able to speak, read, and write English fluently enough to communicate clearly with members of the public and through use of a police radio. Based on a thorough review of a potential member s application and an initial assessment of their qualifications by the CCP Advisor, candidates may be invited to participate in an oral interview. The interview is conducted by an Oral Board consisting of the CCP Advisor and selected CCP personnel. An important and critical part of the screening process for prospective CCP members is the background investigation conducted on every applicant. Candidates are required to complete a detailed non-sworn Personal History Statement that is very similar to that used for sworn personnel. The background investigation includes a driver s license check through the Department of Motor Vehicles and a criminal records check of both local and national police files. What were your most current year s statistics such as amount of miles patrolled, hours volunteered by all members total, drop in crime rate due to C.O.P., specific crimes stopped in progress or caught? CCP 2005 Year End Activity Report: Patrol: Total Mileage / No. of Patrols / Total Patrol Volunteer Hours 22,555 / 330 / 4,959.5* General & Board Meetings / Total Meeting Volunteer Hours 28 / 421.5 In-Service Training Sessions / Total Training Volunteer Hours 19 / 257.5 Administrative and Secretarial Total Volunteer Hours 1,832.5 Specialized Training Total Volunteer Hours 522.75 Crime Prevention Total Volunteer Hours 2,726.0 Emergency Call Outs Total Volunteer Hours 94.5 * Patrol Hours include 1,106 Vacation House Checks and Extra Patrol Requests. Total 2005 Volunteer Hours 10,814.25 Note: In 2001, CCP members volunteered over 9,000 hours; during 2002-2005, CCP members annually volunteered over 10,000 hours. How do you recruit new members and what is your average turn over of members? There are several methods for recruiting new CCP members. The most successful approach, however, involves personal contact, either by Camarillo police or by current CCP personnel. Recruitment opportunities include: Graduates of the Camarillo Police Department Citizen Academy. Activities at community related specialevents. Friends, co-workers, and neighbors of current CCP members. Camarillo Police Department s Open House or National Night Out. Neighborhood Watch members. Presentations to local service organizations concerning the CCP. Media releases describing the program and announcing recruitment. Although records of member turnover are not kept, we probably average 2-4 per year. How do you rate the overall acceptance of your C.P. group with the public and LE department? Extremely high! Camarillo Citizen Patrol wants to acknowledge and thank the deputies that work the streets of Camarillo. Without their trust and confidence of Citizen Patrol members working at their side, we could not achieve the success that we have enjoyed the past 30 years. If you could wave a magic wand and get whatever you wanted for your Citizen Patrol group, what one thing would you ask for? (tough question but an interesting one) Without exception, the two top items CCP members would like to have are new, full or mid sized patrol vehicles and their own portable police radios. (Although the Toyota Prius Hybrid vehicles are environmentally friendly, they are small, uncomfortable and do not lend to 8-hour patrols. We only have 11 portable radios to share with 37 members. The Reserve Deputies and DART members are issued their own department portable radios.) What is your annual operating budget in dollars, assuming you have one? During fiscal year 2005-, the Camarillo City Council funded a CCP operating budget
CITIZEN PATROL GROUP PROFILE: CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA, POLICE, CITIZENS ON PATROL 21 of $2,500 for uniforms and other miscellaneous expenses. With no guarantee, we are anticipating a budget increase for fiscal year -2007. What special events do you provide support for such as High School football games, Fairs, Graduations, traffic control for Marathons and clean up days, etc? In addition to those activities mentioned previously, CCP members have volunteered support in 2005 for: Patriot Day program, VCSO K-9 Golf Tournament, Camarillo PD station tours, Camarillo High School football game crowd control and graduation traffic control, Oxnard Strawberry Festival traffic control/parking, Camarillo Outlet Mall day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) traffic control, and Command Post Sobriety Check Point. Has any Citizen Patrol member ever been injured while performing his/her duties? There is no knowledge or records of any CCP member being injured or requiring medical attention while actively performing CCP duties. How do you motivate, recognize and reward your Citizen Patrol Volunteers? All CCP members are given special recognition for hours volunteered in 500-hour increments (i.e., 500, 1000, 1500 hours, etc.) with a Citizen Patrol Pin Rocker and certificate. Several members have received department and/or community organization Letters of Commendation for specific outstanding performance. Examples of group recognition are our annual summer barbecue and Christmas party. In 2004, our advisor recognized each member by applying for and issuing The President s Volunteer Service Award presented by the President s Council on Service and Civic Participation. Additionally, in partnership with CCP, our local Pleasant Valley Lions Club annually presents their Camarillo Citizen Patrol Member of the Year award at their hosted dinner. Pictured above: COP Dave Fisher receiving a proclamation for 30 years of the unit's service from Ms. Joyce Taylor representing Ventura County Supervisor Kathy Long. Pictured on the left: Camarillo Citizen Patrol volunteers assist deputies with traffic control during a multi-vehicle accident on a rainy day. Most Significant Event One incident comes to mind. In 2000, there was a series of vehicle burglaries occurring in Camarillo motel parking lots. Through teamwork between detectives, crime prevention, CCP and a specific motel, a weekend nighttime surveillance team of CCP members was located in two rooms overlooking the parking lot. During this stakeout, CCP members observed three suspects committing a vehicle burglary. Deputies were notified by radio with a description of the three suspects and their vehicle. A subsequent arrest of the three was effected, and the vehicle burglaries stopped. Pictured above: On display at the COP 30 year banquet is the original CB Radio used 30 years ago when the COP unit first started its service.
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MEMBERSHIP SERVICES Member Organizations of the National Association Citizens On Patrol receive the following benefits, services, and products: Nationwide Professional status for your Citizen Patrol Organization; Increase Recruitment, Pride, and Retention through ongoing awareness campaigns; Personalized Web Site and domain name for each member organization (www.nacop.org/your name) available for viewing by over 180 million people connected to the internet. Professionally maintained and updated. Monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; Member Discussion Groups on NACOP Web site to help educate and communicate; Quarterly Newsletters for members with helpful information and articles; Design of personalized recruiting brochure; Free access to our Video Training Library; NACOP member window decals; Discounts to annual NACOP National Citizen Patrol conference; Discounts on products and services. JOIN US AND HELP SUPPORT YOUR VOLUNTEERS Log on to www.nacop.org and click on "Join Us" to download your membership application and mail back with your check today! NACOP Members receive a 20% discount on Two-Day Coordinators Workshops presented by the Public Safety Volunteer Institute Log on to www.psvi.org to learn more! Annual Membership Fees for Organizations 1-25 members $125.00 51-75 members $225.00 26-50 members $175.00 76-100 members $275.00 $50.00 per year for each additional 25 volunteers in your unit beyond 100. Volunteer Coordinators and Chief of Police/Sheriff's are included free with each C.O.P. organization s membership. Individual Membership Fee $25.00 per year - (does not include web site or Video Training Library) Substaining Member Status Prepay the First two years of membership and receive the third year free. For a small average investment of just $5.00 per volunteer, per year, you can join us and the thousands of Citizen Patrol volunteers and groups across the nation. Show your Citizen Patrol Volunteers you care and let your Organization, City, and Department benefit from the status, recognition, and services we deliver. New for 2007, Corporate Memberships Available to Help Support our Efforts! To learn how your company or government agency can join our organization to support our efforts while earning the recognition and loyalty of our members, please contact Art Femister at 951-898-8551. 23 The does not endorse or represent any individual Citizen Patrol members or groups. Further, we do not endorse or represent any political activities, candidates, or specific law enforcement departments.
Published by the National Association Citizens On Patrol P.O. Box 727 Corona, CA 92878-0727 Check out the People and Programs Making a Difference and Protecting our Communities and Homeland All Across America! Pictured above, over 450 Citizen Patrol Volunteers, Coordinators, Officers and Deputies pose for the lunch time group photo at the Second Regional Florida Citizen Patrol Conference in Melbourne, FL