Salem Police Begin Volunteer Citizen Patrols

Citizen Patrol Volunteers will be required to complete a 30 hour training course prior to their first scheduled shift.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore. ) - The Salem Police Department has expanded its volunteer program to include an important new position called Citizen Patrol.

Volunteers in this position will be working in teams of two and will work four hours each week during various times throughout the day and night, focusing on areas experiencing high rates of crime. They will serve as extra eyes and ears for our patrol officers, will provide a presence in neighborhoods throughout Salem and will be reporting suspicious activity as needed.

Citizen Patrol Volunteers will be required to complete a 30 hour training course prior to their first scheduled shift in order to better equip and educate them for this assignment and are also expected to attend ongoing training.

They will be wearing a volunteer uniform consisting of a white uniform shirt and black pants. Their shirts have "Salem Police Volunteer" embroidered above the front pocket and also across the back in large letters and they will be driving white police-style vehicles with the words "Salem Police Volunteer" on both sides.

There are currently ten Salem Police volunteers trained for this new assignment, and they had their first patrol assignment on February 27 when they patrolled Bush and Minto Island Parks.

The Salem Police Department has over 70 volunteers serving the department in a wide variety of assignments. To find out more about the Salem Police Department volunteer program, call Jennifer Graber at 503-588-6050 ext. 7119.