Citizens on Patrol: Give us a smile and say 'Hi'

This week was the kickoff for the COPS - Citizens on Patrol.  

So what is the COPS? Basically we are a part of the VIPS - Volunteers in Police Services. There are many VIPS living in the Sandy Springs area. To volunteer for the Sandy Springs Police you must first take the 12-week Citizens Police Academy Course.

This is now the world we live in. Everything is fast. If you slow down they will stampede you. Therefore words become letters and letters must go together to form another word. So CPA now means, Civilian Police Academy. Following me?

The 12-week course is taught by police officers, on their own time. Not only do you learn about everything they do, but how much they love what they do, and how much they love the city they do it for. They do it with passion and humor. It truly is like a big family that gets along.

The Citizens Police Academy is special to many. The waiting list extends into 2012, so sign up now. [There is also CPA class for the Hispanic community.]

I attended a recent graduation where participants' family members turned out in numbers dressed in their Sunday best. When parents stood up to walked to the front of City Hall to receive their diploma, little ones went too. Each of them shook hands with Chief Terry Sult and the officers present. Everyone grinned from ear to ear. Pride reigned.

About four, maybe five months ago, a notice came out from the station to all volunteers saying, "If you are interested in the following class please fill out this application."

The class was COPS, Civilians on Patrol. Our class had 17 participants. Eight weeks of classroom; four weeks driving with a police officer. The topping on the cake was eight hours of class room and hands on driving a police car on a course designed and set up by our police department. [I wrote an earlier blog on this, “”]

This week with much pride from all the graduates, we rolled out. The very first Sandy Springs Police COPS graduates. We have a beautiful police cruiser which is marked as Civilian Patrol. 

We are Civilians on Patrol. We are ambassadors. We are on the streets helping so our police can be on the streets doing what police do so well, policing our city. 

We will help in areas where police presence may not be needed. A traffic light that is out; an accident with no injuries; being a presence on the streets. If the police is needed we will have the radio to call them. Always remember, you too can call 911.

Our shifts are 8 a.m. to noon and noon to 4 p.m. Remember now, when you see us on the streets, smile and wave.  I’ll bet the officers would like a smile and a wave too. They enjoy the residents and the city as much as we do.