“Citizens on Patrol” gives residents a way to participate in law enforcement
On last Friday’s (June 26) episode of the Z107.7 Up Close Show, host Gary Daigneault spoke with Captain Steve Scovel of the Sheriff’s Morongo Basin Station. Daigneault asked Captain Scovel the Sheriff’s “Citizens on Patrol” program.
Captain Scovel: “Our Citizens on Patrol do anything. They pick up a lot of our work that a deputy would have to do, freeing up time for the deputies. If we have a major incident, they can man road closures, they can handle vehicle transports, for maintenance, going to headquarters, any kind of paperwork or anything like that. They all handle that so we don’t have to.
“Anyone can apply to be part of the Citizens on Patrol. We had a Citizen on Patrol as young as like 21 when I was in Yucaipa. Usually it’s a little older though — people who may have retired but still want to give back to their community. They do a great job. Citizens on Patrol go through a monthly training where they will learn from our different divisions throughout the department. We’ll come in and do little presentations for them.
“I actually did one when I was with the bomb squad. I came in, kind of gave them a safety brief on if they are out on patrol or something and they do see something, what to touch, what not to touch. What not to touch would be a good thing.
“If you’re interested in doing that, you can call the non-emergency number or go online. Or show up to the station. We can kind of walk them through. That non-emergency number is 760-366-4175.”
You can hear their full conversation by listening to the Z107.7 Up Close Show below:
