Monday, February 11, 2002 10:37:15 AM
POLICE - 200 answer police call for backup
Austin's innovative civilian force helps with security, daily tasks By Jonathan Osborne
American-Statesman Staff
Monday, February 11, 2002
That official-looking fellow with the starched white shirt and black cap behind the reception desk at the South Austin police substation is Chester Davis.
The 60-year-old retiree is in the first wave of volunteers whom police have recruited for their Civilian Defense Battalion, a program the department touts as the first of its kind in the country.
So far, about 200 volunteers have answered the call of homeland defense, which in this case means helping police with the daily administrative grind, guarding water towers and other nonmajor public works, assisting travelers at the airport and staying on call in case disaster -- man-made or natural -- strikes.
"This is new waters we're treading," said Austin police officer Joe Muñoz, who is in charge of training the volunteers. "We're probably the only police department in the country I know of that's doing this. We're pioneers."
Even though some of the jobs may be hands-on, the volunteers are not allowed to carry guns, and they can't make arrests. In the field they will be the eyes and ears of the department, Muñoz said. Their presence in the office, he said, will help free officers from desk jobs they often have to fill because of staffing shortages.
"That's an officer who's not being used quite as well as he should be," said Davis, whose son, Zac Pruett, has been an Austin police officer for about three years.
Each volunteer must pass a criminal background check, adhere to department grooming standards and complete four classroom training courses.
Sonia Carrion, a Police Department neighborhood liaison who is coordinating the effort, said 42 volunteers started training in December. A class of 60 is scheduled to begin in March, and 120 are waiting to be enrolled in the classes.
"We ask that they commit at least one year to the program," Carrion said, adding that the department will work to accommodate volunteers' schedules.
"We have volunteers that will volunteer maybe five up to 20 hours a week," she said. "It just depends on the individual."
Those who participate can choose from one of four types of jobs, including working at a desk, standing guard, assisting the public information department at the airport or waiting to spring into action in case of an emergency, such as a flood.
"They're like reserves," Carrion said. "They will be activated as needed."
So far, Muñoz said, the department has had a diverse group of applicants ranging from college students to retirees.
"It pretty much reflects the community as a whole . . . blue collar, white collar, retired -- you name it; we got it."
Davis, who helps with administrative work two days a week at the substation off South Congress Avenue and Slaughter Lane, is a former professor at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School.
The volunteer work, he said, was an opportunity to help the city that he moved to a year ago.
"When this whole idea came up, it was the September 11 scare," Davis said. "A lot of people, like me, started looking at what they can do. This is one of the ways to do it. I'm sort of invested in Austin now."
You may contact Jonathan Osborne at josborne@statesman.com or 445-3605.
The PUBLIC SAFETY FORUM http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=938
Austin's innovative civilian force helps with security, daily tasks By Jonathan Osborne
American-Statesman Staff
Monday, February 11, 2002
That official-looking fellow with the starched white shirt and black cap behind the reception desk at the South Austin police substation is Chester Davis.
The 60-year-old retiree is in the first wave of volunteers whom police have recruited for their Civilian Defense Battalion, a program the department touts as the first of its kind in the country.
So far, about 200 volunteers have answered the call of homeland defense, which in this case means helping police with the daily administrative grind, guarding water towers and other nonmajor public works, assisting travelers at the airport and staying on call in case disaster -- man-made or natural -- strikes.
"This is new waters we're treading," said Austin police officer Joe Muñoz, who is in charge of training the volunteers. "We're probably the only police department in the country I know of that's doing this. We're pioneers."
Even though some of the jobs may be hands-on, the volunteers are not allowed to carry guns, and they can't make arrests. In the field they will be the eyes and ears of the department, Muñoz said. Their presence in the office, he said, will help free officers from desk jobs they often have to fill because of staffing shortages.
"That's an officer who's not being used quite as well as he should be," said Davis, whose son, Zac Pruett, has been an Austin police officer for about three years.
Each volunteer must pass a criminal background check, adhere to department grooming standards and complete four classroom training courses.
Sonia Carrion, a Police Department neighborhood liaison who is coordinating the effort, said 42 volunteers started training in December. A class of 60 is scheduled to begin in March, and 120 are waiting to be enrolled in the classes.
"We ask that they commit at least one year to the program," Carrion said, adding that the department will work to accommodate volunteers' schedules.
"We have volunteers that will volunteer maybe five up to 20 hours a week," she said. "It just depends on the individual."
Those who participate can choose from one of four types of jobs, including working at a desk, standing guard, assisting the public information department at the airport or waiting to spring into action in case of an emergency, such as a flood.
"They're like reserves," Carrion said. "They will be activated as needed."
So far, Muñoz said, the department has had a diverse group of applicants ranging from college students to retirees.
"It pretty much reflects the community as a whole . . . blue collar, white collar, retired -- you name it; we got it."
Davis, who helps with administrative work two days a week at the substation off South Congress Avenue and Slaughter Lane, is a former professor at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School.
The volunteer work, he said, was an opportunity to help the city that he moved to a year ago.
"When this whole idea came up, it was the September 11 scare," Davis said. "A lot of people, like me, started looking at what they can do. This is one of the ways to do it. I'm sort of invested in Austin now."
You may contact Jonathan Osborne at josborne@statesman.com or 445-3605.
The PUBLIC SAFETY FORUM http://www.investorshub.com/boards/board.asp?board_id=938
Diverdan
Join the InvestorsHub Community
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
