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CELLULAR ON PATROL
PROGRAM |
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The SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT sponsors a unique,
exciting program, CELLULAR ON PATROL, that gives residents an
opportunity to work closely with the police to make their
neighborhoods safer places to live. |
| BACKGROUND |
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The Cellular On Patrol (COP) concept was created in 1992 by Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems in San Antonio as an informal service for cellular phone subscribers. Bell provided free airtime for calls to the
emergency 911 number as well as to the non-emergency police dispatcher
(dial *COP = *267) when within San Antonio and *DPS to connect with the state Department of Public Safety when outside the city. Subscribers were encouraged to use the appropriate free-dial numbers to seek assistance
and to report accidents or crimes observed while on the road.
In October, 1993, the San Antonio Police Department and the City of
San Antonio joined together with SBMS to create a more structured COP
Program that involves three unique factors:
- Members of neighborhood groups receive training at SAPD
substations.
- graduates patrol their own neighborhoods, using donated SBMS
cellular phones pre-programmed with additional free-dial emergency
numbers.
- Funds to support the program (ID cards, logo shirts, etc.) are donated
by local businesses.
The first class of COP trainees graduated from the Eastside
Substation on October 30, 1993. During 1994 and early 1995 COP training
was expanded to include the entire city, starting with the Northside
Substation (5/94), Prue Road (10/94), West (12/94), Central (3/95), and
South (5/95). As of December 31, 2005, there were nearly 8000 COP graduates
throughout the city, representing over 300 neighborhoods.
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COP HISTORY SNAPSHOTS : 1993 - 2000
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October 1993 : 1st COP Graduating
Class (East)
poses in COP shirts. |
1995 : The 1000th COP Graduate
receives a
certificate from Chief Al Philippus. |
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COP neighborhoods can purchase COP
signs
to warn bad guys that neighbors are on patrol. |
1997 : The 3000th COP graduate receives
a
certificate from Central Substation Captain Kopeck.
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COP CLASSES :
COP classes are held at SAPD Substations, and
include lectures by SAPD officers and specialists
on topics
such as taking good descriptions, crime prevention,
use of cellular phones, and setting up effective
COP patrols. Classes also include videos, role playing,
discussion,
and a ride-along opportunity.
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THE COP TRAINING PROGRAM
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The purpose of the COP Program is to prepare neighborhood residents to be the “eyes and ears” of the police and to promote closer
cooperation between residents and the city agencies that exist to serve them. The training program, presented at the SAPD substations, consists
of 8 hours of classroom training and the opportunity for up to 8 hours of
ride-along with a district patrol officer.
During the classroom sessions volunteers are trained to recognize
suspicious activities and other factors that lead to crime in their neighborhoods. Police officers and other specialists present information on how to recognize various crimes, including burglaries, thefts, robberies,
gang activities, narcotics and vice activities, and other crimes that may be
present in the neighborhoods the COP graduates will patrol. COP volunteers are also given information on code violations and how to work with Code Compliance to clean up their neighborhoods, as well as how to
access agency assistance for elderly and disabled residents of their
neighborhoods or for victims of crime.
The ride-along experience provides COP volunteers with the
opportunity to familiarize themselves with SAPD patrol procedures and to
establish points of contact with both the substation and with the officers
who patrol their neighborhoods. Most COP volunteers have found the
ride-along to be one of the most educational and valuable parts of the COP
training.
Upon completion of the training COP graduates are presented with a
graduation certificate, a photo ID card and a COP T-shirt or hat.
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| COP PATROLS & NEIGHBORHOODS
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The training for the COP Program is based in the SAPD substations,
but the program is solidly based within the neighborhoods that are served
by each substation. Before training is begun at a substation representatives
of the neighborhood groups band together to form a non-profit corporation
that will serve as the sponsor of the COP Program in that area. For the
Eastside Substation area the neighbors formed East San Antonio Fights
Crime; at North they formed Northside Neighbors on Patrol; at Prue it is
Northwest Neighborhoods Against Crime; at West it is Greater Westside
on Patrol; at Central it is Central Communities on Patrol, and at South it is
Southside Neighbors Against Crime.
The purpose of the non-profit group is two-fold. First, the group is the recipient of the cellular phones donated by SBMS as well as the recipient
of other donated funds that are used to pay for the COP T-shirts, hats,
graduation certificates, ID cards, and other costs associated with
production of the program. Second, the non-profit group provides an
infrastructure for recruitment of neighborhood association
members into the COP Program and a pool of volunteers to assist
behind-the-scenes at
COP training.
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| SETTING UP COP PATROLS |
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After sufficient numbers from a neighborhood group complete the
training they set up patrols within their neighborhood using the donated
cellular phones. Each neighborhood group of graduates is responsible for
establishing their own patrol schedules and procedures, within the limits of
the “COP Do’s & Don’ts” presented during training.
COP members are to function only as “eyes and ears” for the police, so included in the Do’s & Don’ts are instructions that COP volunteers will
not patrol alone, they will not carry weapons of any sort and they will
never confront or chase any suspected wrongdoers.
Depending on group preferences COP patrol members can elect to
walk or drive, patrol in short or lengthy shifts, patrol as pairs or in larger
groups, patrol at night or in the day, or modify their patrol format to best
fit their neighborhood’s needs.
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COP PROGRAM RESULTS |
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The results of the patrol program vary from neighborhood to
neighborhood, depending on the crime problems in each area, the strength
of the COP patrols and the length of time each patrol group has been
active.
COP success stories are numerous. In some neighborhoods crime
statistics showed an immediate decrease in incidence of reported property
crimes beginning in the months that COP patrols began. In other
neighborhoods numbers of reported crimes increased, not because of an
increase in crime, but because COP patrol members were reporting crimes
that previously would have gone unreported.
In all neighborhoods with active COP patrols neighbors experience
greater interaction with other neighbors, COP patrol members get to know
their neighborhood police officers better, and residents who are not
involved in COP patrols voice their appreciation for the increased feeling
of neighborhood security that the COP patrols produce.
The COP Program is now available to all residents of San Antonio and
training is offered at all six SAPD substations on a monthly or bi-monthly
schedule. Please call or visit your local substation for class schedules
and application forms. |
RETURN TO TOP
Last Update: 01/21/2004
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HOW TO JOIN COP |
-
Determine which SAPD Substation serves the area where you live.
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Click here to view a
MAP showing substation boundaries.
- Review the Schedule of COP Classes below and select a
class date, at YOUR SUBSTATION, that fits your schedule.
(You may attend COP classes ONLY at the Substation that serves your neighborhood.)
- Contact the COP Coordinator at YOUR SUBSTATION to check
on class availability and obtain
a COP Class Application, or
- Go to YOUR SUBSTATION and pick up a COP Application, or
- Click here to go the
SAPD FORMS PAGE to download a COP
Application in PDF format.
- Bring or Mail the COP Application to YOUR SUBSTATION.
- Attend BOTH COP Classes (4 hrs + 4 hrs) on the selected dates.
- After graduation, join with other COP grads in your
neighborhood to set up your COP Patrols.
- One year after graduation you may attend a Refresher Class,
if you wish.
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NEW COP ACTIVITIES : COP graduates may also volunteer to participate
in "MAP PATROLS" in their substation area. For more information
please visit the COP MAP PATROLS page.
2008 COP CLASS SCHEDULES
(UPDATE as of 01-12-08)
More Substation Classes will be Added as they are Scheduled
| MONTH | REGULAR COP CLASS | REFRESHER CLASS |
| JANUARY |
15 = NORTH
19 & 26 = PRUE
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N.A. |
| FEBRUARY |
12 & 19 = CENTRAL
16 = NORTH
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N.A.
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| MARCH |
4 & 11 = CENTRAL
4 = NORTH
13 & 20 = PRUE
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N.A.
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| APRIL |
5 = NORTH
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12 = PRUE
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| MAY |
13 = NORTH
14 & 21 = PRUE
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6 = CENTRAL.
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| JUNE |
7 = NORTH
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N.A.
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| JULY |
8 = NORTH
10 & 17 = PRUE
15 & 22 = CENTRAL
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N.A.
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| AUGUST |
2 = NORTH
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9 = CENTRAL.
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| SEPTEMBER |
9 & 16 = CENTRAL
9 = NORTH
20 & 27 = PRUE
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N.A.
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| OCTOBER |
4 & 11 = CENTRAL
4 = NORTH
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18 = PRUE
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| NOVEMBER |
13 & 20 = PRUE
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N.A.
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| DECEMBER |
N.A.
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N.A.
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PLEASE NOTE:
Saturday Classes are from 8 am til 12 noon (or 9 am to 1 pm), when two
dates are listed. When one Saturday date is listed, the
class lasts all day (one meeting instead of two).
Weekday Classes are from 6 pm til 10 pm.
Refresher classes are one session only.
PLEASE Contact your substation
COP Coordinator for application
forms, class times, etc. You can also download
COP Application
Forms (PDF format), fill them out, and send to your substation.
For additional information on the COP Program, Please
Contact:
Your Local SAPD SubStation COP Coordinator,
or your SAPD SAFFE Officer.
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Department 2000-2006
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![[SAPD patch]](images/pat4.gif)
![[COP logo]](images/COP9.jpeg)