CVP Graduation Adds 12 to Volunteer Organization’s Ranks

The Redlands Citizen Volunteer Patrol Academy held a graduation ceremony Wednesday, March 16, at Redlands City Hall adding 12 new members to the ranks of the Citizen Volunteer Patrol (CVP) and Citizen Volunteer Park Rangers. The nine-week CVP Academy provides volunteers training in citation writing, radio procedure, crime scene management, report writing, traffic control, patrol vehicle driving, Emergency Operations Center operations and other areas. The new CVPs will receive an additional 32 hours of training in the field by experienced CVP Field Training Officers. They will then be ready for the full range of CVP duties. The Citizen Volunteer Patrol was founded as a highly visible, uniformed, unarmed, "eyes and ears" volunteer patrol force comprised largely of retired community members seeking an opportunity to assist their local police department in making the streets of the community a safer place. The first CVP Academy Class graduated in May 1991. Since 1991 the CVP unit has expanded its responsibilities to include participation in all non-hazardous functions conducted by the department. The unit consists of more than 75 members. Membership is also open to those community members who have special physical needs which might preclude field duties. In January 2008, the Redlands Police Department added a new component to the Citizen Volunteer Patrol – the Citizen Volunteer Park Rangers. CVPRs assist the Police Department in making City parks and orange groves, the Santa Ana River Wash and San Timoteo Canyon safer places for the community’s use. CVPRs patrol on horseback, ATVs, Segways, mountain bikes and on foot. CVPRs are on the lookout for illegal activities in the patrol areas, including the use of alcohol, smoking in the parks, after-hours activities in the parks, significant trash accumulations and signs of suspicious activities.