Under the supervision of the Community Liaison Officer from the Office of Community Outreach, the Citizens On Patrol volunteer program allows residents of Crowley to get involved with their police department in enhancing the safety of our community and improving our quality of life.
Turn in application by OCt. 23, 2023, to join the next class.
Volunteers
The program members are non-paid volunteers who are selected after passing an extensive criminal background check and an interview process that involves an oral review board made up of police officers and a final interview with the chief of police.
Requirements
After the interviews, volunteers will be expected to:
- Successfully pass a drug screen.
- Complete a six-hour training class offered by our Community Liaison Officers, who will train them on how to perform their assigned duties
- Graduate from a Crowley Citizens Police Academy or promise to attend and complete the next available session. Serve at least eight hours a month, and the days and times are flexible in order to accommodate the availability and schedules of the volunteers.
- Attend refresher training quarterly (to stay active in the program)
Duties
Volunteers will patrol the city in a vehicle that has been marked with decals identifying them as volunteers. At all times, volunteers will patrol in a two-person team and will have radio contact with our dispatch center.
Responsibilities
Some examples of the COPs responsibilities are:
- Patrolling the city looking for suspicious activity and reporting it to the police department.
- Collecting traffic data. If traffic or speeding complaints are received, volunteers (only those that have been trained) can sit at the problem area and run radar or observe traffic. Volunteers will collect data and turn it over to the traffic officers, who will then decide if extra enforcement is needed in that area. Volunteers will not make traffic stops nor issue citations.
- Traffic control. Volunteers who have been trained in traffic control may be called to assist with traffic control or direction at major accidents or during special events or parades.
- Area searches. Volunteers may be called to assist police officers with area searches or neighborhood canvasses during major incidents or as a result of missing children or endangered adult calls.
- Administrative support. Volunteers may be called to answer phone lines during AMBER alerts or assist with resident customer service in the reception area.
Materials & Uniforms
The police department will supply all volunteers with uniforms and the necessary equipment to perform their assigned duties. Volunteers are not law enforcement officers and will not be allowed to carry weapons, nor have the legal authority to stop, detain, arrest persons nor make traffic stops.
More Information
For additional information, or if you are interested in joining our cadre of COP volunteers, contact the cperry [at] ci.crowley.tx.us (Office of Community Outreach).