By Blake Hollingsworth | Staff Writer
Citizens on Patrol (COP), sponsored by the Waco Police Department, enlists local residents to voluntarily monitor Waco areas and report any suspicious activity.
Each citizen patrols solely in their designated neighborhood, looking for ways to make life easier for Waco police, such as reporting potholes, illegal parking and updating signage, Waco PD Public Information Officer Cierra Shipley said.
“We’ve got about 20 COPs right now, and they do a great job at helping out their neighborhoods,” Shipley said. “They just do different things that our officers can’t necessarily get to as quickly because they’re dealing with bigger crimes. It’s definitely increased the neighborhood’s quality of life and our community members.”
Before one can join, they must first attend Citizens Police Academy, a 12-week program teaching residents Waco PD’s protocols, according to Program Coordinator Candice Ortiz.
“Once they complete that, they can actually move on and complete the Citizens on Patrol program,” Ortiz said. “We do it that way so everyone gets familiar with the actual department. It gives you an overview of a lot of things – not just the patrol side.”
Shipley said the fact that Wacoans are willing to volunteer their own time to support the initiative “speaks volumes” about Waco PD.
“It just shows that there are people that care about their police department, but also care about their fellow neighbors and their community,” Shipley said. “They want to see a thriving area to live in. It’s great to know that there are people out there willing to help us meet that goal.”
COP participants also help the community by conducting “home security vacation checks” for those leaving town, including Baylor students, according to Shipley.
“What they do is drive by your home or apartment and make sure that everything looks good and nothing looks out of the ordinary,” Shipley said. “So when students go out on vacation or on spring break, it’s the parents that are calling to make sure they have the home security vacation checks in place.”
Shipley said the program looks to continue growing in numbers and getting people excited to help protect the city of Waco.
“We want to let [Wacoans] know that there’s more ways you can assist your community,” Shipley said. “A lot of people say, ‘I really want to help, but I just don’t know what to do.’ This is a great thing to look into if you’ve got some spare time or want to provide in a different kind of way.”
COP offers Citizens Police Academy programs twice a year, Shipley said. While the first deadline has passed, interested individuals can follow COP’s Facebook page for updates on the second application.
