Scope out S.C.O.P.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Citizens On Patrol (S.C.O.P.) was established in 1996. The S.C.O.P program allows citizens to voluntarily serve with the Sheriffs Office. They have been known as the “Eyes and Ears” of the Sheriffs Office. They perform a variety of functions in the Sheriff’s Office, including, but not limited to traffic control, patrol in a S.C.O.P vehicle, boating and marine patrol, vacation house checks, filing, assisting at the Humboldt County Sheriffs Animal Shelter, special events and disaster assistance.

In calendar year 2016, the S.C.O.P. volunteers logged approximately 22,919 miles patrolling various parts of Humboldt County. They provided 152 vacation house checks, 14,183 business checks, 1,984 parks and playground checks, 1,731 school checks, 2,245 community buildings and churches checks, and donated 5,190 hours. They also assisted at 30 special events.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Citizens On Patrol train and educate citizens about general law enforcement, specifically the Sheriffs Office. Some of the deputies currently working at the Sheriff’s Office started their careers in the S.C.O.P program

S.C.O.P. members are required to be at least 21 years of age, have a valid California Drivers License, pass a background check, and donate at least seventeen hours a month. Volunteers accepted will receive 32 hours of training in the S.C.O.P Academy.

Anyone interested in joining the S.C.O.P. program can contact S.C.O.P Captain Bernie Jorgensen at (707) 268-2536, or visit the Sheriff’s Office website www.humboldtgov.org/sheriff.