The Eugene Police Department has 83 volunteers who contributed more than 15,500 hours of service in 2018, saving the department and the City of Eugene an estimated $386,176. Wednesday, April 10, we will have a National Volunteer Week Celebration to honor our volunteers for their contributions in 2018.
Sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation, National Volunteer Week is about thanking one of America's most valuable assets – our volunteers – and calling the public's attention to all that they do to improve our communities. This year, NVW is April 8-12, when we recognize and distribute a variety of awards that are not issued at any other time, including President’s Volunteer Service Awards and Hours of Service Milestone Awards.
President's Volunteer Service Awards are the most prestigious volunteer awards currently connected to the White House that all Americans can aspire to achieve. The awards are issued for hours volunteered during a 12-month period (January through December). Volunteers who have contributed 100+ hours during that time frame will be receiving an award based on their annual hours of service (bronze, silver or gold).
Highlights from EPD’s 2018 Volunteers in Policing Program:
In 2018, the Image Retrieval Team’s service dramatically increased. Prior to 2018, this team had two volunteers who served one to two days each week. They averaged approximately 150 requests for video retrieval per year in the years from 2009 through 2017. Over this same time period, the team retrieved an average of 86 videos each year (a 56 percent success rate). In 2018, the team was expanded to eight volunteers operating four to five days per week. They received 366 requests…well over double the number of requests in any previous year. Of the requests they received, the team was able to retrieve 254 videos (about three times the previous annual average), a success rate of about 70 percent!
In 2018, the Squad Car Maintenance Team served 3,717 hours washing patrol vehicles, restocking trunks, and shuttling vehicles to and from Fleet Services for maintenance and repair. In 2018, this team shuttled 1,194 vehicles, washed 876 vehicles, replaced 72 tires, performed 90 minor maintenance or repair services, and restocked 570 patrol vehicle trunks.
In 2018, the Seniors on Patrol Team served 3,949 hours throughout the city. They performed 363 vehicle patrols and 1,402 home vacation checks. The SOP issued 184 disabled parking warnings and 106 disabled parking citations. They placed the decoy vehicle throughout the city for traffic calming 372 times and recorded 7,429 positive interactions with the people of Eugene.
Volunteering at the Eugene Police Department
For information on how to become a volunteer at the Eugene Police Department, visit the Eugene Police Website at www.eugene-or.gov/policevolunteers or contact Volunteers in Policing Program Manager Lindy Smith at 541.682.5355