City Council Newsletter - 04/12/07

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Eugene Police Expand Senior Patrol Volunteer Team The Eugene Police Department has recently expanded its Senior Patrol volunteer team. The eight seniors who most recently completed the Eugene Police Department’s Senior Patrol one-week training academy were recognized in a graduation ceremony on Thursday, April 5. After completing the 40-hour academy and prior to beginning their independent patrol duties, the five men and three women underwent 40 additional hours of street training with seasoned Senior Patrol volunteers. With the new recruits on board, the total number of Senior Patrol team members has increased to 17. Senior Patrol team members function as an auxiliary unit of the department by assisting with crime prevention and community policing efforts. Except in very limited circumstances, they do not take enforcement action. These volunteers provide a highly visible presence as they observe and report suspicious activity, patrol bike paths and streets, conduct home vacation checks, and assist sworn officers with nonhazardous duties. Working in pairs, they drive specially marked, readily identifiable police vehicles. They wear uniforms that identify them as police volunteers and, for their safety; they are equipped with police radios. In addition to their general patrol duties, some Senior Patrol members focus on projects such as finding stolen vehicles, identifying disabled parking violations, or helping residents catalogue their property in case of a burglary. The Senior Patrol is a component of the Eugene Police Department's Volunteers In Policing Program, which partners citizens and police to better serve the community. In 2006, Senior Patrol team members volunteered 4,278 hours, valued at more than $77,000 (based on a calculation involving the national average wage), to serve the community. Retirees aged 50+ who are interested in joining the Senior Patrol program are encouraged to apply. For more information, community members may contact the Volunteers In Policing Program Coordinator, Carrie Chouinard, at 682-5355, or Senior Patrol Coordinator Debbie Janecek at 682-5642. Friends of the Library Book Sale: April 14 and 15 Booklovers can indulge themselves for a good cause once again at the 29th Annual Friends of EPL Book Sale! Join in on Saturday, April 14, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 15, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., at the Lane County Fairgrounds' Performance Hall. Parking and admission are free. The Friends Book Sale offers some 70,000 gently- and never-used books of all kinds, for all ages and interests. Most books are only $1.50—small paperbacks are just $1. There are rare and specialty items in the “Individually-Priced” section and recent bestsellers in the “Good-As-New section.” The “Oregon” section expands this year to include the whole Northwest, featuring fiction, travel, history, natural history, regional cookbooks, and more. There are DVDs and CDs, too. In order to keep the browsing rolling along smoothly—and fairly—the Friends of EPL have instituted a new policy: each visitor may fill up one box at a time to review. The 2006 Friends Book Sale took in more than $80,000 to support and enhance EPL programs and services, especially programs for children and families. Says organizer Carol Hildebrand, "This book sale is made possible by the whole community's generosity and commitment to Eugene Public Library." Year-round, the public donates books, and more than 300 community members volunteer on the project. For more information, call the Eugene Public Library at 682-5450. National Telecommunicators Week Observed This week is National Telecommunicators Week, and the leadership of Eugene’s Fire and EMS Department has taken the opportunity to express the department's appreciation for the 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers whose dedication and professionalism do so much to make emergency response effective in Eugene and the surrounding area. "I want to formally recognize your role in our system and express my sincere appreciation for the invaluable service you provide," Fire Chief Randy Groves wrote in a memo to the Central Lane 9-1-1 staff. “Every day your actions touch real people's lives and contribute to a safer and healthier environment; people know that when they call 9-1-1 or the non- EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 April 12, 2007