The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is pleased to announce the dates for the 4th Community Safety Volunteer Academy; March 10 - May 14, 2009. The Community Safety Volunteer Program began in April, 2006 and has since graduated 37 Douglas County citizens who are involved in supporting the work of law enforcement professionals in the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

The Community Safety Volunteer program is community policing in its most basic form - a structured way for citizens to participate in helping provide for the safety and security of their own community. CSVs support the major activities of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office -- Patrol, Investigations, Detentions, Civil, and Community Resources - and activities where their unique expertise and or life experience are of benefit. CSVs are citizen volunteers who attend a training academy consisting of over 100 hours of field and classroom instruction and contribute a minimum of 16 hours of volunteer time each month after graduation.

Since inception of the program, CSVs have made significant contribution to Douglas County by volunteering thousands of hours in support of the major Divisions of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office - Patrol, Investigations, Detentions, and Community Resources. Some of the areas accounting for the over 27,000 hours of volunteer time include:

Patrol: VIN inspections, traffic control for accidents, abandoned vehicles, neighborhood, park, and elementary school patrols, vehicle impounds, found property and criminal mischief reports, vacation house watch.

Investigations: County liquor code inspections, internet safety talks at middle schools and for parent groups.

Detentions: Intake administrative duties such as screening mail, bonding, fingerprinting, GED instruction, alcohol and drug recovery and religious classes.

Community Resources: Colorado Life Trak (formally Project Lifesaver) program, Christmas for Kids, National Night Out, community safety fairs and events, business information/contact forms.

If you are interested in becoming a part of this outstanding group of individuals and contributing your time and your unique life experience and expertise in support of law enforcement in Douglas County, visit the DCSO website at www.dcsheriff.net and click on the Community Safety Volunteer link for personal requirements and additional information. Interested individuals should submit a completed application as soon as possible since the background investigation may take from 1-2 months to complete. Application deadline is December 31, 2008.

If you have questions or require further information, please contact Lt. Alan Stanton at 303-660-7524 or CSV Coordinator Walt Wohlgemuth at 303-814-7063 or send an e-mail to CSV@dcsheriff.net .