Citizens Police Academy Alumni Assn

         Citizens Police Academy Alumni Assn erves as 'eyes/ears'

As reported on August 2, 2006 by LIZ VERNON | COMMUNITY PRESS STAFF WRITER

MIAMI TWP. -- After spending a couple of months learning about law enforcement, Harry Evans and a few other members of the township's first Citizen Police Academy (CPA), decided they wanted to do more.

After CPA graduation in November 1998, they went to Lt. Daryl Poe of the Miami Township Police Department with the idea of starting an alumni association. "We said we'd love to continue on with programs, with studies," Evans said.

After approval from Police Chief Steve Bailey -- "with Chief Bailey being a very big proponent of community-oriented policing, this gave us a chance," Evans said -- the Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association (CPAAA) was formed in January 1999.

"One of the original goals of having a citizen police academy was to have some help in the community that could be translated into some type of volunteer force," said Bailey.

Six members from the first CPA class joined. And today, it has about 80 or 85 members, with about 35 or 40 of those being active.

Those first members had their chance to get started a couple of months later, in April 1999, shortly after the school shooting at Columbine High School, when Milford High School and Milford Junior High School received several threats each.

"Chief Bailey came to the alumni group and asked if we would be willing to help them do school searches," said Evans, who is a past CPAAA president.

"I think at that point (after the school searches), the department saw a potential resource here," he said.

A few members volunteered to be at the high school on a regular basis, he said. "We had a couple members step forward and, to this day, those people are still there."

He estimates that thousands of volunteer hours have been logged between all the members of the group.

Evans served with the security police during his time with the U.S. Air Force. "I had developed quite a liking for law enforcement during my four years there. I've always had an interest in law enforcement."

In 1998, he stopped by an open house with the police department. It was then he met Poe, learned about the CPA and decided to sign up for a session.

Lee Hite, another member and past president, has worked on and off with the fire department since he was 14 years old.

While he isn't interested in working in law enforcement, "I highly appreciate what they do and wanted to contribute."

And he did so by participating in the CPA class four or five years ago. He has since helped both the police and fire departments by updating their Web sites, and takes photos at the fire department's events.

The only requirement to join the alumni association is to have completed the township's CPA class. The alumni group meets monthly and always has a guest speaker.

Some members may just choose to attend the meetings, Evans said, "and that's OK. The initial reason the alumni group was formed was to continue studies."

But those members who do choose to be active have plenty of ways to get involved.

Besides doing individual things, such as Hite does, the group volunteers with township events like Midsummer at the Meadows, Super Senior Saturday and the annual St. Vincent de Paul Run for the Poor.

And, they help out in other situations on an as-needed basis.

Once, several members of the CPAAA were called to help search for a gun along the side of Interstate 275. When Hite was asked to get a group together, he had all the volunteers needed within an hour.

Another time, when a road was flooded, Evans parked by the road and directed traffic to turn around. "It relieved an officer that was having to sit there and block the road."

This way, the officers are free to make runs and other things CPAAA members can't do, he said.

And, there are opportunities for everyone, depending on their talents, interests and backgrounds.

"It's been an enormous collection of talent ... that we've brought to the table," said Hite.

Evans agreed. "I think we have a good mix out there."

Sometimes members may help with other departments in the township, said Hite. The advantage is they are people township officials already know with complete background checks.

The alumni group is "a trusted entity," he said.

However, both Evans and Hite stress that CPAAA members are just "eyes and ears" for the departments. They don't confront anyone or help out with more serious injuries; instead, they call police officers, firefighters or paramedics.

And, they're thankful the township has allowed them to get involved.

"None of this could really happen if we didn't have the support of Chief Bailey and community-oriented policing," said Evans.

"It actually makes us stronger as a department because it lets us do more," said Bailey.

He researched the cost of investment vs. the cost of return, and found that for every dollar the police department invested in the CPAAA -- they buy shirts and jackets for the members -- they're getting about $57 in return.

The department also has donated two retired police cars, which were repainted and are marked as citizen safety patrol vehicles.

"It's going very well," said Bailey. "We're very pleased with the number of services they've been providing."

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