VOLUNTEER IN POLICE SERVICE (VIPS)
Chief Kenneth Small (front left) and RSVP Coordinator Suzie Wajda (front center) and Lieutenant M. Reynolds (far right) at a recent gathering of Volunteers in Police Service.
The Volunteers In Police Services Program are made of citizens who attended and graduated from the Citizens Police Academy. The Academy is a 12 week course where citizens learn about the police department's many functions. After graduating, the citizen can apply to become a police volunteer to help in police department special events. Some of the special events are the Shoreline Marathon where they help police block traffic from going to Pacific Coast Highway. They also help at the annual police open house and staff the two substations located in the downtown and Oak View neighborhoods. They help with the annual Halloween Program at Oak View and pass out Neighborhood Watch newsletters to introduce the newsletter to residence. There are many other events they help with as needed.Presently there are a total of 50 volunteers in this Program. A minimum of 20 hours is required to donate to the program annually. Applications are available upon graduation from the Citizens Police Academy.