More Volunteers Added to the Successful Douglas County Law Enforcement Program
Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden
Public Information Officer
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
The Community Safety Volunteer program (Volunteer In Policing program in the City of Lone Tree) is community policing in its most basic form – a structured way for citizens to participate in helping provide for the safety and security of their own community. CSVs and VIPs support the major activities of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Castle Rock Police Department, and Lone Tree Police Department — Patrol, Investigations, Detentions, Civil, and Community Resources – and activities where their unique expertise and or life experience are of benefit. CSVs and VIPs are citizen volunteers who attend a training academy consisting of over 100 hours of field and classroom instruction and contribute a minimum of 16 hours of volunteer time each month after graduation.
Fifteen citizens graduated from the 5th Community Safety Volunteer Academy on May 13, 2010, bringing the total number of CSV/VIP volunteers in the County to 63 (DCSO – 44; LTPD – 12; CRPD – 7).
Since inception of the program, CSVs and VIPs have made significant contribution to Douglas County by volunteering almost 75,000 hours in support of DCSO, CRPD, and LTPD. Some of the areas accounting for the majority of volunteer time include:
Patrol: VIN inspections, traffic control for accidents, abandoned vehicles, neighborhood, park, and elementary school patrols, vehicle impounds, found property and criminal mischief reports, vacation house watch.
Investigations: County liquor code inspections, internet safety talks at middle schools and for parent groups; administrative support for VICAP reporting and cold case review.
Detentions: Intake administrative duties such as screening mail, bonding, fingerprinting, GED instruction, alcohol and drug recovery and religious classes.
Community Resources: Colorado Life Trak (formally Project Lifesaver) program, Christmas for Kids, National Night Out, community safety fairs and events, business information/contact forms.
If you are interested in becoming a part of this outstanding group of individuals and contributing your time and your unique life experience and expertise in support of law enforcement in Douglas County, visit the DCSO website at www.dcsheriff.net, the CRPD website at www.crgov.com or the LTPD website at www.cityoflonetree.com.
If you have questions or require further information, please contact DCSO Volunteer Coordinators Walt Wohlgemuth or Stephanie Trotter at 303-814-7063 or send an e-mail. Please contact Castle Rock Police Officer Will Harris at 303-663-6148 or e-mail for details of its CSV program. For Lone Tree, call Paul Squyer at 303 548 5798 or e-mail.
