SUNNYVALE PUBLIC SAFETY EXPANDS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – The Sunnyvale City Council Tuesday (April 20) unanimously approved the expansion of the Volunteers in Public Safety (VIPS) program. This innovative program uses volunteers in low-risk enforcement and administrative roles to enhance services provided to the community and improve public understanding of the City’s public safety mission.

The Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) has a strong history of using volunteers, but had previously limited volunteer assignments to administrative duties and special events. The VIPS program, which the Council approved as a pilot project in 2000, marked the first time DPS had used volunteers in enforcement activities. Volunteers in that early program were assigned to perform parking enforcement and abandoned vehicle identification.

"Volunteers and volunteer programs are at the heart of the City of Sunnyvale," said Sunnyvale Mayor John Howe. "By expanding this program, we are going to be able to improve upon the public safety services we already provide, while being cost effective."

Currently 10 volunteers, ranging in age from college students to senior citizens, volunteer in the VIPS program. They perform a wide range of duties, from marking and tagging nuisance vehicles for abatement to serving as public safety chaplain. In total, volunteers give nearly 200 hours per month of their time to support public safety. With its decision to continue the VIPS program, the City Council also approved an expansion of the program over the next two years. This could add as many as 20 more volunteers, and new services such as bike licensing, traffic calming and neighborhood watch coordination.