Flint Police Blue Badge Corps Looking for 100 Volunteers for Halloween Citizens Radio Patrol

As the week of Halloween approaches, the Flint Police Department is asking for volunteers to help patrol the city’s neighborhoods beginning the evening of Friday, October 30^th and continuing through Saturday the 31^st.  The Flint Police Department Citizens’ Radio Patrol is looking to outfit 100 new volunteers with training and amber lights, CRP placards and portable radios for their vehicles. Training will be provided for all those interested in volunteering at the times and locations listed below.

“We are seeking more volunteers to start up new patrols in their own neighborhoods or to bolster the membership of an existing patrol,” said Police Chief James Tolbert in a letter asking residents for help. “The role of the patrollers is to watch over their neighborhoods and report any suspicious activity or sights to the patrol base operator, who in turn contacts the FPD,” Chief Tolbert explained, “the patrollers are never to put themselves in harm’s way or to confront a suspicious individual, that’s the job of the Flint Police Department.”

Working under the FPD Blue Badge Volunteer Corps., Patrollers are trained to look out for specific warning signs, including open doors, broken windows, ladders leaning against buildings, loitering individuals, burglar alarms triggered on homes or businesses.

In addition to patrolling as either a driver or observer, volunteers can work as a base operator or even from their own home if they are unable to leave. “You can still participate by turning on your porch light and observing what is happening on your block and reporting any suspicious behavior to your base operator,” said Chief Tolbert in his letter. “We have to recognize that community safety is dependent upon the FPD and the community working together, we can’t do it without you.”

Those interested in volunteering can contact the Flint Police Department Blue Badge Volunteer Corps. by calling 810-237-6823 and leave their name, address and phone number in order to be contacted with further details. This is the second year of the Blue Badge Citizens Radio Patrol. Last year over 100 volunteers participated during the week of Halloween. Trick or Treat time for Halloween will be October 31 from 5:30-8:00pm.

Citizens Radio Patrol Training Locations and Times:

Saturday, October 17, 2015 from 10:00am-12:00pm

Salem Housing. 3216 Martin Luther King Ave.  48505 810-233-8081

Tuesday, October 20, 2015 from 5:00-7:00pm

Grace Lutheran, 2526 Corunna Rd.  48503, 810-238-9540

Thursday, October 22, 2015 6:00-8:00pm

Foss Ave. Baptist, 1159-E. Foss Ave.  48505, 810-787-9019

Thursday, October 29th and Friday, October 30th Time TBD 

FPD roll call room