The City of Malibu has put out the call for more volunteers to step up and help out with public safety through the Volunteers on Patrol program.
“I applaud the volunteers of the VOP program who dedicate their time to helping make Malibu a safer community, and I encourage any Malibu resident interested in public service to join the VOP team,” Mayor Skylar Peak said in a statement provided by the city.
Since 2010, the Volunteers on Patrol has provided services to the city including helping with DUI checkpoints, traffic control, first aid/CPR, vacation and business checks, enforcing the city’s parking regulations, residential patrols, and patrolling and reporting on wildfires. They work, the city said, as “additional eyes and ears” for the sheriff’s department and help improve community relations while contributing to public safety.
The 13 current VOP members in the city are unarmed civilian volunteers who together have contributed 1,376 hours of service toward the Malibu community in January, February and March of 2017.
The City of Malibu provided the following stipulations for VOP applicants: “To qualify, applicants must be over 18 years old, be a resident of the City of Malibu, complete an oral interview, submit to a background check, commit to ongoing training, and meet minimum driving standards.”
Those who fit the criteria and are interested in pursuing civilian public safety service are encouraged to contact Malibu VOP Team Leader Mark Russo at 310.347.6100 or malibuvop@gmail.com, or visit MalibuCity.org/VOP.