HUNTINGTON BEACH : Senior Recruits Help Out Police

Resident Stan Cohen admits that he likes watching cop shows and is proud that his son is a police officer.

But Cohen said he is not following in his son’s footsteps.

Cohen said the reason he became involved in the Police Department’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program is to serve his community.

Cohen was among 23 people who graduated this week from the eight-week training class. They were the department’s second graduating class, in which 70 residents applied to participate. The first graduating class of 23 volunteers began serving in January.

“I now have an opportunity to give back to my community. It’s some way I can repay what they’ve done for me,” said Cohen, 62.

Police Chief Ronald E. Lowenberg presented the graduates with their badges during a Tuesday morning ceremony at City Hall.

Lowenberg said the volunteers--who are at least 55 years old and come from varied backgrounds and diverse careers--do work that “frees up police officers to do the job they are trained to handle.”

Lowenberg said the volunteers also provide “another set of eyes and ears out on the street.”

They patrol in marked cars, issue parking citations and help with administrative work inside the Police Department.

They also check on homes of residents who go on vacation and notify residents who leave garage doors open of the risk of being burglarized.

Volunteers have placed 4,755 notices at homes where garage doors were open and have taken down 8,535 signs placed illegally around town.

Jan Starling Thomas, program coordinator, said that the first 23 volunteers have given more than 8,800 hours to the department and community.

“What they are doing for this city and department is above and beyond our expectations,” Thomas said.