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Volunteers in Police Service – known as “VIPS”– are becoming an increasingly valuable asset to the Blue Springs Police Department and our community. A great example of community service is south Blue Springs resident and active Blue Springs Police Department volunteer Tom Echerd.
Tom began his volunteer service with the department after graduating from the Blue Springs Citizen Police Academy on Nov. 5, 2008. Tom first came into contact with the department after several small crimes occurred in his neighborhood. Rather than sit back and let others take care of his concerns, Tom took the initiative to contact the department to see what he could do to help, and was invited to be a member of the first BSPD Citizen Police Academy. After the nine-week course, he understood that the department could use his help to make the community safer.
Tom attends regular training sessions where VIPS are trained in many aspects of administrative and time-consuming work that takes full-time police employees away from other tasks. VIPS have been trained in completing fingerprints for job applicants or liquor control licenses; have received instruction in completing vehicle tow reports, and in how to assist at DWI checkpoints.
VIPS can receive basic self-defense training, assist with taking accident report information or work in the detention area to assist the police officers and the detention service officers as they book prisoners. VIPS can answer the TIPS Hotline to relieve dispatchers of that duty in busy time period.
Tom Echerd has gone above and beyond the call of duty in assisting the Blue Springs Police Department. He has designated Wednesday as his VIPS day and can be found in the Detective Unit assisting staff services secretary Macie Taylor with filing, data entry and anything else that needs done. Tom is familiar with firearms and has assisted the department firearms instructors with cleaning weapons, filing of paperwork and data entry for officer firearms qualification.
Tom is one of those rare individuals who is described as a “go-to guy.” If an opportunity to assist arises at the last minute he is willing to help and make himself available. The Crime Prevention Unit recently opened two Community Crime Prevention Offices, one at the Villas of Autumn Bend and the second at the Autumn Place Apartments. Tom immediately stepped up to help organize open houses for both and has become a regular liaison at the south office.
It is safe to say that Tom Echerd, and other volunteers like him, make the jobs of the staff easier and more productive while saving taxpayers’ dollars to be used in additional services to our community, and we are grateful for their help.
Volunteers in Police Service – known as “VIPS”– are becoming an increasingly valuable asset to the Blue Springs Police Department and our community. A great example of community service is south Blue Springs resident and active Blue Springs Police Department volunteer Tom Echerd.
Tom began his volunteer service with the department after graduating from the Blue Springs Citizen Police Academy on Nov. 5, 2008. Tom first came into contact with the department after several small crimes occurred in his neighborhood. Rather than sit back and let others take care of his concerns, Tom took the initiative to contact the department to see what he could do to help, and was invited to be a member of the first BSPD Citizen Police Academy. After the nine-week course, he understood that the department could use his help to make the community safer.
Tom attends regular training sessions where VIPS are trained in many aspects of administrative and time-consuming work that takes full-time police employees away from other tasks. VIPS have been trained in completing fingerprints for job applicants or liquor control licenses; have received instruction in completing vehicle tow reports, and in how to assist at DWI checkpoints.
VIPS can receive basic self-defense training, assist with taking accident report information or work in the detention area to assist the police officers and the detention service officers as they book prisoners. VIPS can answer the TIPS Hotline to relieve dispatchers of that duty in busy time period.
Tom Echerd has gone above and beyond the call of duty in assisting the Blue Springs Police Department. He has designated Wednesday as his VIPS day and can be found in the Detective Unit assisting staff services secretary Macie Taylor with filing, data entry and anything else that needs done. Tom is familiar with firearms and has assisted the department firearms instructors with cleaning weapons, filing of paperwork and data entry for officer firearms qualification.
Tom is one of those rare individuals who is described as a “go-to guy.” If an opportunity to assist arises at the last minute he is willing to help and make himself available. The Crime Prevention Unit recently opened two Community Crime Prevention Offices, one at the Villas of Autumn Bend and the second at the Autumn Place Apartments. Tom immediately stepped up to help organize open houses for both and has become a regular liaison at the south office.
It is safe to say that Tom Echerd, and other volunteers like him, make the jobs of the staff easier and more productive while saving taxpayers’ dollars to be used in additional services to our community, and we are grateful for their help.
