2004 Annual Report - City of Fairbanks

VOLUNTEERS IN POLICING
Volunteers In Policing is a non-profit that
was established in 1994. There are currently 20 active
volunteers with two paid staff members. The VIP’s provide
assistance to local law enforcement through observations,
traffic control, motorist assistance, placement of speed
trailers, and assistance with missing children searches, DUI
detection, security checks, and special events such as the
North American Dog Race.
Volunteers In Policing also offers Fingerprinting Services as a fund raiser
to their organization. The services are currently available one night a
week. There are four certified finger printers. Volunteers receive 26 hours
of academy and field training at the VIP Training Academy.
The VIP’s provide safety presentations to the
community by request. Some subjects covered
have been stranger danger, teen driving and alcohol, home
protection, and bike safety. Community organizations
contact VIP with there request and when possible the VIP’s
assist those organizations as a help to the community.
During the summer the VIP’s assist with Concerts In the
Park, Golden Days, the Midnight Sun Festival, and other summer activities. They also
provide a bike and foot patrol in the downtown area. All bike patrollers have received
training through a bike patrol certification course offered through UAF Police
Department.
The VIP’s spent 2004 focusing on increasing the support to the Fairbanks Police
Department. To accomplish this, the VIP’s maintained their office inside the Fairbanks
Police Department. This location made it easier for the VIP’s to serve both the
Fairbanks Police Department and the Fairbanks community.
VIP’s launched a recruitment campaign and
increased the volunteer membership during 2004
and began planning for greater recruitment efforts
in 2005.
The VIP program underwent a staff change when
Executive Director Doris Lundin and Program Coordinator Poppy Floto left the
program. VIP’s new Executive Director is Kevin E. Kemp who brings to the program
seventeen years experience as a police officer in Alaska and the new Program
Coordinator is Contrinka Holland.
The VIP’s had 1043.70 hours of general patrol and Alaska Housing patrol hours, 190.5
FPD Assists, 48.6 hours of alcohol or DUI activities, 180 hours of fingerprinting
services, and 624.2 hours in special event and tourist assistance.
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