The Dickinson Police Department’s Citizens On Patrol Program – It Keeps Getting Better and Better!

Now in its eighth year, the Dickinson Citizens On Patrol program has grown to thirty five active members who have at least eight scheduled patrols each month and have contributed over 1800 volunteer hours in 2009. All members have attended the Dickinson Citizen’s Police Academy and are active members of the Alumni Association.

In 2010 the organization retired the two patrol units they started the program with and replaced them with two newer police cars that have been restriped with the COP’s Logo and are now on active duty. In line with their proactive philosophy, COP’s members keep abreast of changes in laws and codes that help them assist their neighbors. Recent mini in-service programs have included Illegal Dumping, Abandoned Autos, and Illegal Burning. This is in addition to their standard activities of identifying street lights that are not working, pot holes, and assisting with vacation watches. Each time a unit leaves the station, they have more than enough activities to keep them busy in their four-hour shifts.

For the second year, COP’s members who have donated over one-hundred hours of service in the past year were honored with a Presidential Award through the Volunteers In Police Service (VIPS). This national program seeks to recognize the service that citizens across the nation have rendered to local law enforcement agencies. For the first time, two members of the DCPAAA and COP’s program  (Charles Suderman and Ken Suderman) received the highest honor the program can bestow, that of gold meritorious pins and a Presidential certificate acknowledging their contributions of over 500 hours of service. 

If you would like to join the Dickinson Police Department’s Citizens On Patrol program, contact Officer Tony Valdez at 281-337-4700, ext 357 to enroll in the next Citizen’s Police Academy that begins in February of 2012.