Clovis PD volunteers are quick to heed the call

Even before the budget crises impacted local governments and the City of Clovis, they came.  More than 60 people packed the Public Safety Community room at police and fire  eadquarters to express their interest in becoming volunteers for the Clovis Police Department last May.  These men and women faced background checks and purchased their own uniforms costing up to $150. They freely gave their time and paid for their own fuel and transportation costs.  They continue happily assisting in the positions they’ve selected, are equally delighted to serve the community.

Today, the Clovis Police Department boasts more than 80 active volunteers.  Seventeen serve as “citizens on patrol.”  They are the ones you see in marked trucks assisting at the scenes of car crashes, patrolling parking lots and serving as extra eyes to counteract criminal activity.  In the field, they support police officers by handling vehicle tows, working traffic accidents, and conducting patrol and vacation checks for residents who have requested them.  Citizens on patrol also look for and cite municipal code and parking violators, assist at the Clovis jail, and work special events.

These volunteers underwent 40 hours of training before starting on patrol last October and attend monthly trainings as part of the program.  When they enrolled, they agreed to  volunteer for at least six months.  They work four-hour shifts and a minimum of 12 hours each month.

Three people volunteer in the Youth Services Division, which includes the Clovis Police Activities League (PAL).  About 500 boys and girls participate in its athletic and after-school tutoring programs.  The money and staffing for this popular community-building program were reduced at the same time programs such as D.A.R.E. and Too Good for Drugs were cut from the budget.  However, generous donations to PAL and volunteers’ efforts continue to make a difference in the lives of these young people; a positive difference we expect will shape our city in the coming years.

Thirteen volunteers signed up to help in the Records Division and in various other areas of the police department.  In Records, helpers type warrant abstracts for judges to sign.  They also file records, match mug shots and fingerprints to the correct police report, and file field investigation cards.

The Clovis Police Department’s Animal Services Division, which includes Animal Control and the Clovis Pet Adoption Center, welcomes its 32 volunteers, some of whom report to work daily.  All have attended the requisite training for handling dogs and cats.  Some walk the dogs at the adoption center and play with cats that need homes.  Others help with cleaning duties required for a healthy environment.  Young or retired, they all share a love for animals.

A handful of these aforementioned volunteers have served the community for five years or longer.  Most came on board when the police department first offered the volunteer program less than a year ago.  However, two volunteer groups have played principle roles in the deartment for decades: reserve officers (nearly 90 years) and chaplains (about 20).

Volunteer police chaplains are on call 24/7 to provide crisis counseling and ministry.  They offer support to sufferers of violence and the tragedy of unexpected death or injury.  Chaplains direct domestic-abuse victims to places equipped to offer immediate assistance.  These clergymen and women give selflessly at any hour of the day to anyone in need, and often don’t receive the recognition they deserve.

In the second group, 18 sworn civilians consider it a privilege to spend nights and weekends serving the citizens of Clovis as reserve officers.  They do so in patrol cars, and on motorcycles, bicycles, foot and even horses. The public most often sees them at spe cial events like the Clovis Rodeo and Rodeo Parade, Big Hat Days, Farmer’s Market, and Children’s Electric Christmas Parade, plus the holiday shopping season.

They provide increased police presence at Sierra Vista Mall, in Old Town, and along the Shaw and Herndon avenue corridors.  The big hit of the holiday patrols are the members of the mounted patrol unit.  While the horses give the officers a great vantage point to spot criminal activity, they also thrill families who visit the mall from all over the Valley and beyond.

Anyone interested in becoming a Police Department volunteer, particularly in the relatively new Citizens on Patrol program, visit www.cityofclovis.com and click on “Police Department” or contact volunteer coordinator Caroline Carlson at 324-2416 or  carolinec@cityofclovis.com.