You see them everywhere: doing data entry at the police department, manning a booth at Mint Hill Madness, setting up the radar machine where speeding is a problem. They are the Mint Hill Police volunteers, an invaluable resource for our town’s police force.
Currently 8 in number, these volunteers provide support and assistance to police in a multitude of ways.
In addition to those listed above, they help set up and maintain neighborhood watches, aid in traffic control, keep up with the maintenance of the police cars, and serve at special events.
Moreover, they augment the resources of the police by providing services that free up the sworn officers. These duties include fingerprinting children, checking on homes that have housebound residents or owners on vacation, or conducting citizen patrols in our neighborhoods.
If you visit the police department, chances are the first smiling face you see at reception will be–you guessed it–that of a volunteer.
Recruiting is done through the website and word of mouth, and there are certain requirements a person must meet to become a volunteer.
The first is to attend the Citizens Academy, a nine week course one evening a week in late summer through early fall. There the prospective volunteer will learn the inner workings of the police department, from traffic stops, to drug enforcement, and to canine patrol and beyond.
From there the interested party will fill out an application, go through an interview process and a background check, in order to be considered for the position.
Volunteer coordinator Robyn Imirie says she enjoys volunteering “because you meet good people”. She also appreciates that it gets her involved with her own town, and that she feels safer because of these said good people.
Dave Marcinko is a very active volunteer and strives to help make Mint Hill a safer place. He has learned CPR and Defibrillator operation capabilities to be of further service in an emergency situation.
Linda McCrodden, another of the eight volunteers, coordinates all the “Coffee With a Cop” events, as well as doing invoices for police car repair and other paperwork. Linda said she enjoys volunteering because she “loves seeing everyone get along” at police driven happenings such as the paper shredding.
If you would like more information on becoming a volunteer, visit the Mint Hill Police email at info@minthill.com.
