NCJ Number
181549
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 66 Issue: 12 Dated: December 1999 Pages: 32-37
Date Published
December 1999
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Community service clubs are unique and important to community policing; they can provide funding and volunteers to support policing programs that have limited budgets and can also provide police personnel with useful information on the priorities and future direction of the community.
Abstract
Community service clubs such as the Lions, Rotary, and Kiwanis have existed for decades. Their autonomy and their ability to focus their resources to affect local needs directly make them distinctive and important to community policing. These clubs bring together people from all backgrounds to solve local problems. The members are experienced volunteers who are deeply rooted in every aspect of the community and are experienced in fundraising, program development, and resource management. Many clubs support community watch programs, volunteer to assist with youth activities, sponsor drug awareness campaigns, and raise funds for needed emergency equipment. New technologies allow club members and leaders to communicate at all levels via the Internet. They also benefit from the use of professionally designed programs and have expanded the club concept to include specialty clubs to address unique social needs. Police agencies that develop close relations with service clubs will find a group of people who are dedicated, experienced, and willing to serve and will benefit in ways that will far outweigh the investment in time and personnel. Telephone number from which to obtain further information