CARY, NC – The Town of Cary Police Department is the first Triangle agency to be named to the list of official Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) programs, part of President George W. Bush’s USA Freedom Corps. One of the Citizen Corps programs, VIPS is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice and is designed to provide support for law enforcement agencies by tapping civilian volunteers to supplement their community’s law enforcement professionals in order to free up officers for frontline duty.

In Cary, the program that fits the bill is the Town’s Citizens Assisting Police (CAP) team, which was established in 2000 and currently has 31 members that assist police with:

• Security at public events
• Fingerprinting
• Child safety seat installation
• Kid Care identification
• Staffing service centers
• Clerical duties including data entry
• Planning and implementing National Night Out activities
• Leading Community Watch programs

In his 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush announced the creation of the USA Freedom Corps to foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility, building on the generous spirit of the American people. The Citizen Corps programs, including VIPS, are part of the USA Freedom Corps initiative and share the common goal of helping communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to crime, natural disasters, and other emergencies.

To become qualified for Cary’s CAP team, citizens must successfully complete the nine-week Citizens Police Academy. Registration is underway now for the 12^th academy, which will run from September 18-November 13, 2002. Call (919) 460-4903. Space is limited.

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