Town of Waterford’s volunteer police program taking shape

By Dave Fidlin

CORRESPONDENT

On the heels of a favorable vote from elected officials, plans to pepper Town of Waterford’s police force with a small group of volunteers are taking hold.

The Town Board in March backed Police Chief Tom Ditscheit’s request to bring volunteers into the fold for such tasks as traffic control during special events, squad car ride-alongs and boat patrols.

“There’s a wide range of things people can be involved in,” Ditscheit said at the Town Board’s most recent meeting April 11.

As he provided the board with an update on the effort, Ditscheit said he anticipates upward of 15 volunteers being part of the force as the effort gets underway.

The volunteer efforts come months after the town’s force began patrolling the Village of Waterford through a new contractual arrangement, though town officials have stated the timing of the two scenarios is coincidental.

Prospective volunteers will undergo a process similar to what a sworn part- and full-time officer would undergo, albeit on a smaller scale.

That process includes submitting an application, meeting with town officers from a question-and-answer session and undergoing a background check.

When the board voted on the volunteer police effort, officials were overwhelmingly supportive.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Supervisor Nick Draskovich said at the board’s March meeting.

No specific timetable has been announced for the volunteers’ presence within the force, though selected applicants could begin making the rounds in the months ahead.

Town Board members and Ditscheit also have referred to the volunteer program as a win-win. While volunteers will assist sworn officers in carrying out duties, volunteers will get a taste of what goes into being a member of a law enforcement agency.