The City of Lawrenceville Police Department recently launched a Citizens Patrol Program, which allows interested city residents to participate in a volunteer opportunity with the department.
According to a press release from the agency, the Lawrenceville Citizens and Police Partners Unit embarked on their inaugural patrol on Jan. 11 following a ceremony at police headquarters.
The program allows citizens the opportunity to assist with various tasks, such as traffic control at accident sites, work sites, public events, assist stranded motorists, and conduct residential and business checks among other duties. Participants must have received advanced training to assist with these tasks.
Every member previously attended and graduated from one of the Lawrenceville Police Citizens Academies. Members must also have participated in a nine-week course that trains them in the following areas:
- Instruction in traffic control and traffic direction
- Briefings regarding crime analysis, patterns and trends
- Instruction in first aid and the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED), stop the bleed, and how to use naloxone
- De-escalation techniques
- Accident Investigations
- Driving
- Lawrenceville Police codes and signals
The program provides a greater observation of residential and business neighborhoods, which increases police presence in the community and reduces crime. LCAPPS will patrol as two-person units in a specially marked Ford Ranger pick-up truck.
The patrols utilize the same radio system as Lawrenceville Police Officers and communicate with the same city-wide 9-1-1 system as the sworn officers.
“This program illustrates the commitment we have to serving the Lawrenceville community and shows the support our citizens have for the department,” said Chief of Police, John Mullin
The unit currently has eight founding members and is expected to grow. The program is one of the first and only Citizens Patrol programs within Gwinnett County.
