Seniors keep streets safe, friendly
by Xiao Zhang, Outpost contributor
"They give me a feeling of security," said Rosie Davidson, manager of the shop. "I don't think anyone's going to steal when these uniformed people come in."
Downtown patrol is one of the activities of the SAVE Program, established in August 1997. The Reno Police Department modeled the program after the San Diego senior volunteer program.
Reno's SAVE program consists of 55 retired senior volunteers over age 50, who each contribute four hours a week to provide community services that would otherwise be provided by the police. The programs aim is to free police officers to perform more serious duties and better serve the community.
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The Reno Police SAVE unit consists of three groups: the patrol group, the Handicap Parking Patrol (HPP) group and the Volunteer in Station (VIP) group.
The patrol group started operating the time SAVE was established, and now has about 45 volunteers. Both HPP with six members and VIP with four members were just started in November, said Ken Bunker, the lieutenant in charge of SAVE at the patrol division of the Reno Police Department.
"They do a variety of things," Bunker said.
Two teams of two go out patrolling on two each of the two shifts in the winter. The morning shift extends from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., and the afternoon shift goes from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In the summer, SAVE is on duty for three shifts a day: 7 to 11 a.m., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.
SAVE members combat graffiti, do vacation house check, watch the neighborhood and public places. They also patrol randomly on their way to and from these specific missions.
"We want the randomness of their patrol," he said. "That's something the police officers can't do."
Ruiz, a former principal, said that SAVE members watch for "inappropriate people" during their patrol.
During vacation house check, SAVE members check regularly the house whose owners leave on a vacation. They do this at the request of the owners of the house. Homeowners receive a record of the in the mail.
To combat graffiti, volunteers members go out to the vandalized spot of graffiti after receiving graffiti report and get the permission of the owner to clean up the graffiti.
Ruiz said the work has a positive visual effect on the city's appearance.
"You look around this city, and you don't see much graffiti," he said.
SAVE members on each shift of patrol walk the downtown area for an hour in good weather. They meet individuals, including tourists, who may ask for direstions. The patrol gives people a good impression of Reno.
"I get a lot of feedback for downtown walking from tourists who were here that like the program and go home and tell their chiefs of police about it," Bunker said.
Ruiz said he likes the walking part of the patrol best.
"I like walking downtown best because you talk to people. I get a lot of contact," he said.
Bunker said the aim of the downtown patrol is to allow the volunteers to have a presence in the downtown communities. He said the patrol helps residents feel more secure.
These senior volunteers also carry out special duties.
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SAVE volunteers also patrol by car to visit
schools, check on vacant houses and clean up
graffiti.In the office of the SAVE program in the Reno police station hangs a pink thank-you card. Inside the card, 22 children in the Latch Key program at Stead Elementary School signed their names. They expressed thanking the SAVE members for coming to their school and talking to them.
SAVE members visited 22 elementary schools in Washoe County for their Latch Key programs this fall. The volunteers introduced themselves and their program, telling the children to ask them for help when in trouble. They also showed the children their cars and their emblem so that the children could recognize them.
The teacher in charge of the Latch Key program in Stead Elementary School spoke highly of the SAVE program.
"It's great," Heather Crow said. "The kids get to know a SAVE member is there to help them when they are in trouble."
Bunker said retired citizens are a great resource of the community.
"Using retired citizens is a really enviable resource," he said. "We have tremendous talent and skills in our community. They have tremendous depth of wisdom and enthusiasm and brainpower."
The SAVE members are from all facets of the community. There are nurses, dentists, business owners, CEOs, principals and salesmen. They use their experience in the new work. For example, a psychiatric nurse is working on the domestic violence unit in the police station.
The SAVE unit is self-organized. Members work out their activities on their own.
"That's part of the beauty of working with individuals there," Bunker said. "They have a work ethic that employers would kill for. They are totally self-sufficient."
When the SAVE program was first established more than a year ago, it had about 30 members. Today the number has increased to 55. Bunker's goal is to expand the program and recruit about 30 more people. He sees this program as an opportunity to keep the senior citizens active.
"This is a very viable program, and it gives them (retired citizens) a chance to come out and socialize and do something valuable for the community," he said.
The opportunity to give back to the community is the reason Bill Flack, 69, a former salesman, joined the program.
"I get a very good feeling of accomplishing something," he said. "You feel well when serving the community. I guess it's satisfaction."
Posted Aug. 26,
1999
Copyright 1999, Nevada Outpost
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