Calling all volunteers! Did you know that the Bradenton Police Department (BPD) offers the community a wide range of citizen service opportunities?  As with many organizations, BPD is is actively welcoming back volunteers after the pandemic hiatus. “Volunteers provide valuable assistance that allows our officers to focus on getting their job done.” says  Captain Brian Thiers.  “There are no special requirements to volunteer with the Department.  You represent the Department, so a friendly face and welcoming attitude are particularly important as well as a willingness to serve.”  A basic background check and interview are part of the application process.

If you like interacting with people, there is a place for you at the Welcome Desk. That position is located at the entrance to the building and assists with directing visitors. If you have office and computer skills, come on down.  Volunteers can assist with locating and processing citizen information requests and keeping up with paperwork.  The Office of Professional Standards is in constant need of people who like paper. And if shredding is your thing, Captain Thiers  says there is a special place for you!  If you are interested in getting a little deeper into operations, the Department provides special training which is required to protect privacy issues during investigations.

If you’re handy with a paintbrush or good with household repairs, volunteers can assist staff maintenance throughout the facility.  The Department takes pride in offering all visitors a welcoming environment.  Gardeners are needed too!  A wonderful new initiative offered by the BPD is the Community Garden.  Located opposite the entrance of the BPD,  the Garden was designed to be a safe space for the community.  Buying or selling online, use the Community Garden as a meeting place for a transaction.  Cameras and easy access to officers provide peace of mind.  With benches, a charming arbor, fountain, and lots of greenery, the Garden is a great place to meet up.  Green thumbs are welcome in helping maintain this thoughtful addition to downtown.

If you are interested in becoming a part of this key community resource, Captain Thiers encourages you reach out to him.  brian.thiers@bradentonpd.com or 941 932 9364

In the meantime, we can all “volunteer” by taking a few extra steps to assist officers.

Lock your cars, particularly at night, and register your home security system to cut down on false alarms.  We can all do our share.

Thank you to guest blogger, Maureen Zaremba, for this Good News!