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A8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, Aprit 25, 2006 www.karenftowemhop.com C O MI. Mi 1Li\TITL 487 Laurier Ave. 878-2881 Volunteers have vital role with Halton police By Howard Mozel SPECIAL TO THE CHAMPION Rtgo a Police Strvice hi i rot a Aisde varitty of hackgrounds, but yon Il qu kiy notice thv have oni thing in co~ mon: a deire to gie hatk to thii mnu futies. Sorte -like Georgetownu husband and wîie tearn Bill anti Karent Gerrit- - were so îrnpressed with Haiton p)olicte alter being invois cd in a car accilent that they respond- cdti 1 a newspapcr ad for heip with the C ommunîtics on Phone Patrol (( (PP) pro- gramn. Bill McHugh, on the other hand, had alrcadvy sen'ed bis country as an RCMP offh- cer ant imemher of thte Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), but in his retire- ment hc suitl teit strongly about doing more. Today, he staffs the Acton Store Front, a satellite police office where lie heips the pub- lic with minoir incidents and queries. "These are ail quality people from the community ssho care and want to help," said tnsp. Bob Percy commander of Community Policing Support, referring to the roughly 170 people who volunteer ivith everything from Victims' Services to the Auxiliary Unit. (That number alto includes the Police Chorus and Pipes and Drums.) The volunteers range in age from their tmenties to over 80, a fact that gratifies Percy since new blood is as essentiat as tife experi- ence in order toi keep the indivîdual pro- grams vibrant. These initiatives include the Victim, Services Unit (VSU), started in 1984, which provides immediate emotional support and community referrats to, victims of crime and tragedy Forjack Elms, wbo retired four years ago, VSU in Buriington provides the perfect way for him to give back. Not content wîth fundraising or committee work, Elms said bis contributions toi VSU are anytbing but arm's tength. "It lis phenomnenally rewarding," said Eims, wbose son lis a Halton Regional Police Tactical Rescue Unit officier and former VSU volunteer. "l'm working for someone at per- haps their darkest moment. I think it makes a huge difference." Thorougbly trained Victim Services vol- unteers are on cati 24 bouts a day, seven days a week, responding immediately to crisis sit- uations. They work off a rotating weekly schedute, taking turns being the primary person with the rest acting as back-up. The volunteers - 36 as of March - work a min- imum tbree hours a week and schedules are BAII: tASKINE / bPEt iAt TO THE CHAMPION MAKING A DIFFERIENCIE: Halton Regtonal Police volunteers, from Ieft, Stu Johnston (Nassagaweya and Milton community polîcing committees), Jack EIms (Burlington Victims' Services Unit>, Karen and Bill Gerrte of Georgetown COPP and Victims' Services Unît), Tina SmaI (Auxiliary Unît> and Budd Brown (Oakviile Senior Cali Back) make a dîfference in their communities. very flexible, altbough many will put in 15 tu 20 bours a week. In 2005, VSU volunteers donated 3,008 bours providing assistance to 3,306 victims witis everytbing from grief and bereavement, domestic and sexual assanit and safety plan- ning toi senior abuse, court issues and addic- tion. Altbonghbch admitted crisis calis are "tougb work," Elms encouraged anyone thinking of volunteering to explore the pois- sibilities of VSU. "it's exciting work too," he added. The Anxiliary Policing Unit, operationai since 1989, is comprised of trained civilian volunteers who, as Auxiliary officiers, are used to, suppiement the activities of police officers at events such as fail fairs, Christmas parades and other large-scale events like the Sound of Music in Buriington, Oakvilie Waterfront Festival and the Around the Bay Road Race. Auxiliary memnbers often accom- pany frontiine officers on patrot duning weekends and together the unit averages 5,000 volunteer hours annuaily "The Anxiliary Unit is an extremrely vain- able program to the Haiton Regional Police Service," remarked Percy. "The civilian vol- unteer members are bigbly motivated and maintain, an annual training regimen equal to our sworn members. Without the units dedication and response man of our com- mnnity events and festivals wonld not be possible." Based on ber respect for police and a wiil- ingness to belp ont, Halton His stay-at- homte-momn Tina Smail joined the Auxiliary iast Angust and is now a constable. "They are a wonderfui group of people to, work with," she said. Smali admits that danger is a possibitity but that the public expects you to be there for themn. "Ail the training prepares us," site added, explaining that for 99 per cent of their time on duty they work closety with a fuit-time officier. Use of force training also helps ensure safety. As of March, the Auxiliary Unit had 38 volunteers with four recruits in training. (Its autborized strengtb is 50.'t In 2005, unit members spent 2,500 bours at 105 events and donated 5,539 total bours to the service. "The Auxiliary is an excellent opportuni- ty to learn about policing, especially for any- one tbinking of becomning a police officer," said Small. Witb COPP, which started in 1997, vol- unteers patrol assigned areas in their district and report by ceil phone any criminal or sus- picious activity they see. Tbey don't, howev- er, involve themselves in any way. Not only have the votunteers helped police discover crimes in progress, sncb as break-mns to cars, they have assisted in belp- ing search for mîssing persons and belped ont at many annual police community events. In 2005, 68 volunteers donated 4,191 hours. The Gerries, who have been COPP vol- unteers for severai years, enjoy doing some- thing togetber while helping ont in their community In that rote tbey have reported potentiai security breaches and been called -see POUCE on page Al1 ~cOGEC F Cogco Cable Channel 14 lIMEday Api 25~WI~I Wensdy Api 26 oniztt www.cogeco.ca NORTH NALTON STUDIO Laurier Plaza 500 Laurier Avenue Milon, ON L9T 4R3 Ptîgge InI ETRA nilugget In' EXTRA iAtinnnoi TV Biqu PiuA AI EXTRA Auto Expefts HiaRn His Counil tpe TA Plutted In' EXTRA T TTpm Haiton tilTs COOXATl T2 TApm Swap Tilt Api TA T TTpm Min Hli Counil 6 Ttpm Tte toTtm Line Rpr 24 6:TTpm t 8tTpm Pl5tied lI EXTRA 6 TtPM Living Heaitiy 8E11Pîn Swap tait T TOpm The Boftom LiTe A Ttpm Milton tills CoanCil T 3TTm t TA0pm Pl5îîed lI EXTRA Apr 24 GOi0po Natin iegin Midnigt Puttid In! EXTRA T0 3Tpm Midninitt Pluîged In' EXTRA Programming Schedule - zz-di~ eon,.,I - p 19 e... i Ttpm HallTon Region 6,0TApm MîSîtgE Plugged n! 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