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Winslow Police Chief Dan Brown is hopeful about two new programs getting their start in Winslow that will involve community members.
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The Volunteer in Policing program (VIP) is currently seeking applicants and promises to be a positive addition to the department. According to Brown, “Contrary to popular belief, volunteer police work is not just about traffic control. There will be people who help in records, or evidence or a lot of other aspects of policing, from the civilian side to the traffic and crowd control side.”
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All are welcome to apply to be a volunteer with the Winslow Police Department, explained Brown. “We do want applicants to be over the age of 18, but honestly, anyone can help. They will go through a background check to make sure they are not a wanted felon or have anything that is going to prohibit them from service. But beyond that, we welcome people with disabilities, or retirees. You know, vets make great law enforcement volunteers. There will be training, of course. In fact, Navajo County has a volunteer training program that we will piggyback on.”
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Brown continued, “VIPs will have the ability to be a police presence without them being paid employees. They will have a different uniform than our sworn officers and clearly marked vehicles to set them apart. The main idea here is to have them be our eyes and our ears, because we just don’t have the manpower to be everywhere at once. Beyond that, I believe it is very important to involve the community members in their own safety. They won’t be armed, they aren’t a posse, they can’t pull people over. But they can be there, they can provide that extra support for us and for the community.”
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Applications are available now on the city website. Brown said, “We do welcome everyone to apply. However, we definitely want to make sure that the people who volunteer are here for the right reasons and they have the right mind set. We don’t want ‘wannabe’ cops, with ulterior motives. We are looking for solid people who want to help make our town a better place to live.”
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Brown’s goal to involve citizens will also be targeted by beginning a neighborhood watch program.
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According to Brown, the program will be overseen by the Winslow Police Department but will rely heavily on citizen involvement. “It sounds like a cliché, ‘the community is the police and the police are the community.’ You have to involve the citizens, it’s the only way to build trust and make it less of an us against them kind of thing. With the neighborhood watch, we are going to count on neighbors to look out for neighbors, like it should be.”
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Residents that are interested in starting a watch program in their neighborhood should contact the department. “No one wants to be a snitch and that’s not what this is. It’s about looking out for each other’s property and reporting things that are out of the ordinary. It can be anonymous. What the department does is put up signs telling people that the neighborhood watch is in effect. Then, we listen to the people that live on those streets and have them be more eyes and ears for us, and for themselves.
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“We need people to be involved. Most cities and towns have neighborhood watches. This is just another way to make our city safer.”
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To apply for the Volunteers in Policing program or for more information on the neighborhood watch program, visit the Winslow Police Department, located at 708 W. Third St., or visit the city website at www.winslowaz.gov.
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