Coos Bay Police Department - Volunteer Crime Prevention Program - A Manual for Law Enforcement Agencies

• NCJ Number: 78101
• Author(s): L Bork
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 90 pages
• Grant Number(s): 80 A 7.1
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Oregon Law Enforcement Council
• Corporate Author: Coos Bay Police Dept
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report describes a successful program initiated by the Coos Bay, Oregon Police Department in 1979 to train volunteers to work in various crime prevention projects and provides guidelines to aid other agencies interested in establishing similar programs.

Abstract

The Coos Bay Police Department consists of approximately 33 paid personnel who serve a population of 14,550 persons. The city covers 8.2 square miles and is primarily residential, but has both a port and an industrial area. A discussion of volunteer liability considers injuries or damages caused by volunteers, injuries to volunteers, and automobile insurance. The development of the volunteer program is described, beginning with community participation in the planning process, publicity, and recruitment. Orientation, placement, and training courses for volunteers are also reviewed, as are recordkeeping systems and evaluation. Suggestions for managing volunteers focus on ways of providing agency identification, office space, meetings, and special recognition through awards and public announcements. The Coos Bay volunteers were supervised by a paid coordinator with the assistance of a part-time clerk. Volunteers participated in the following programs: rape victim assistance; projects to teach senior citizens prevention techniques and engrave their personal property; security surveys, electric engraving of property, and block meetings to help residents eliminate opportunities for burglary, theft, and vandalism; a security program for business owners; and presentations to help stores combat shoplifting. Volunteers also worked on an information campaign which designed materials for media use. After a year, the program has been firmly established and reaction from the community and police has been favorable. The second year of the LEAA grant will focus on increasing staff involvement in the volunteers' activities. The appendixes contain recruitment materials, screening instruments, job descriptions, training course outlines and examinations, forms used in monitoring efforts, and Oregon's standards for crime prevention.