Spend time around the Oro Valley Police Department, and you’ll soon become familiar with the acronym CVAP.

It’s the department’s Citizens Volunteer Assistants Program, an organization of volunteers who have the dedication and skills to do what needs to be done in the interest of police, and public, well-being.

“We try to relieve the officers of mundane duties, if you will,” tasks “that don’t require certified police officers,” said CVAP chair Jim Needles.

You’ll see CVAP volunteers at special events, the dispose-a-meds, the shred-a-thons, graduations, festivals, bike races … the list is long.

They’re on patrol during daylight hours, serving as “an extra set of eyes” for OVPD in one of four well-equipped vehicles assigned for their use, said team patrols director Jack Berry.

CVAP volunteers perform vacation house checks, answer the phones and direct people at the OVPD front desk, take and process fingerprints for credentialing and security clearances, and help move the 300 vehicles in Oro Valley’s overall fleet.

“As they do with so many things,” by covering the reception desk, “they fill the gap,” said Darren Wright, OVPD public information officer. “It’s a great thing for us.”

Chief Kara Riley concurs.

“The CVAP program is an integral part of OVPD’s ability to provide the best service possible to the community,” she said. “Our volunteers are dedicated to helping the public and the department, and we are very fortunate to have such incredible people working beside us.”

CVAP, Needles believes, is “one of the reasons Oro Valley is one of the safest towns in Arizona.”

CVAP is recruiting

CVAP began in 1997, tracing back to an advertisement in The Explorer seeking volunteers. Joe Vicino is a surviving founder.

In 2019, the volunteer count reached 75, according to Kathleen Hernandez, CVAP’s director of administration. In the wake of the pandemic, and attrition, the tally is now below 70.

“We want to draw more people into the program,” Needles said. “More people, and more hours, would be beneficial,” particularly in the summer months when snowbirds fly and demands increase.

Residents interested in serving can begin the process by finding a CVAP application at orovalleyaz.gov, and going to the “Police” section.

A background check and interview are required.

So is “a positive attitude,” said Berry.

Volunteers are trained, learn basic CPR and first aid, then are asked to perform at least four hours of work each month to keep active status. The group also meets monthly, inviting speakers and enjoying fellowship.

“We have something for people of all capabilities,” said Jody Seidel, CVAP’s director of data administration.

OVPD has a budget for CVAP, paying for uniforms and field support. At least once a year, officers cook and serve a barbecue meal to volunteers.

“It’s important to mention how much the PD continuously expresses their appreciation to the volunteers,” said Tom Worcester, CVAP’s recruiter. “They go out of their way to do it constantly.”

Dark houses and vehicles

CVAP is most recognized for its Dark House program. Patrol volunteers check on the houses of people who are gone two weeks or more, swinging by once a week to make sure doors and windows are locked, water systems are not leaking, and houses are secure. There are 1,500 active homes enrolled in Dark House.

“The time that would take for officers to do that is invaluable,” Wright said.

In another time-saving function, CVAP volunteers help Oro Valley move vehicles where they need to be.

“You don’t hear as much about” fleet services, Worcester said. “And it’s bigger than just the police department. There’s a ton of work there, people don’t realize.”

CVAP volunteers drive vehicles in need of maintenance, or fetch distant parts and even vehicles from afar. “Instead of a mechanic driving to pick up parts,” a CVAP volunteer makes the run, Needles said. “We’re not taking away from turning a wrench.”

And, added Wright, “We get our patrol cars back sooner.”

“It’s a huge money-saver for the city,” Berry said. “It takes two people, that would be two full-time employees,” to pick up a vehicle.

An ‘extra set of eyes’

CVAP provides greater “visibility in the community,” Needles said.

Its volunteers run two-person patrols during weekday, daylight hours from their base at the Sun City Oro Valley police substation.

“A big part of our patrols is public assistance,” Worcester said. When motorists are roadside with tire or mechanical troubles, volunteers on patrol stop to help.

During the holidays, CVAP can provide “more of a presence at the shopping centers,” Needles said, when there is more shoplifting pressure on businesses.

“Having a presence can be a deterrent,” Needles said. “It keeps honest people being honest. It’s easy for us to make a call.”

If CVAP patrollers encounter a scene, volunteers can make a quick call to police dispatch, thereby expediting “the response of the officers,” said Wright.

And they can help during emergencies.

 In May, volunteers were called to direct traffic at the scene of a head-on crash on Tangerine Road near St. Mark’s Catholic Church. 

When they arrived, “We immediately allowed two police officers to go do other things,” Worcester said. “That’s exactly why we’re there.”

They directed traffic for six hours, while the scene was investigated.

“Now you see the devotion,” Wright said.”