Woodmont COP Volunteers

By: Dick Brown

The Woodmont community in Tamarac is looking for a few good men and women to become certified to become a Citizen Observer Patrol (COP) volunteer.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office provides communities with the car, gas, and all the upkeep. All they have to do is provide volunteers who will take the training class to become a COP certified.

Once certified and trained, residents drive around in pairs with different scheduled shifts throughout the month – or volunteer to help at city functions. Their job is to observe and report suspicious circumstances and criminal violations within assigned areas of responsibility. As a COP volunteer, they cannot approach or arrest people – so any activity that looks suspicious must be reported to BSO by phone.

To volunteer to be a COP in Woodmont, all that’s required is a clean record, and three hours a month. However, you can put in as many hours as you choose. Some of the volunteers patrol with their spouses, others go out with a designated partner.