Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco rallies Coachella Valley “Citizen on Patrol” volunteers

Police vehicles lined up Tuesday morning outside the council chambers in Palm Desert.

Those driving the cars and SUVs were not carrying badges or guns.

The volunteers are called “COPS” or “Citizens on Patrol”.

“We are the eyes and ears of the city and the sheriff’s department,” said Jeff Alley.

Alley is the Captain for the Palm Desert “COPS”, which has 30 members, ranging in age from 45 to 85.

They were among the group which gathered for the second annual meeting of the Coachella Valley Citizens on Patrol Alliance, made up of several “COPS” groups from cities around the desert.

The volunteers listened to recently elected RIVERSIDE COUNTY Sheriff Chad Bianco thank them for their service.

“It really is impossible to do the job that we do without them,” said Bianco.

Before they become “COPS”, those who serve must complete several hours of training, including driver’s training, CPR, and Community Emergency Response Team training, and complete “ride alongs”.

They assist deputies and officers at accident scenes, perform traffic control, and respond to some crime scenes.

In the city of Palm Desert last year alone, the citizen volunteers provided 12,000 hours of patrol service, valed at $600,000.

Sheriff Bianco says the “COPS” play a “signicant” role in “filling in the gaps”, at the sheriff’s station in Palm Desert, and in valley cities which contract with the sheriff’s department for law enforcement services.

Bianco says his agency is currently “severely understaffed”, and right now, is looking to hire 256 deputies and 400 correctional officers. He also wants to “double the number” of volunteers working with the department.

“We’re doing everything we can to recruit people who have left and gone to other agencies, to recruit laterals from other agencies, that haven’t been here, and also hire new hires,” said Bianco.

Cathedral City Police Chief Travis Walker also spoke, talking about the role “COPS” play in “community policing”.

He also praised.the volunteers.

“They come from the greatest generation this country has ever had,” said Walker.

For more information on the COPS program in Palm Desert, and for information on COPS programs in other desert cities, call the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station at (760) 836-1600.

“COPS” groups that attended the meeting:

Palm Desert
Desert Edge
Jurupa Valley
Indio CHP
City of Indio
La Quinta
Desert Hot Springs
Palm Springs
Rancho Mirage
Cathedral City
Date Palm Couintry Club COPS
Mission Lakes COPS

Other information shared by Sheriff Bianco:

– Sherffi’s department is undetaking “massive hiring campaign”.
– Department will work in to signifcantly increase social media efforts.
– New Indio jail will open “August-ish”.
– Will open east valley aviation bureau in June; will include 2 helicopters and one airplane.
– Volunteers needed for avaiation bureau
– Does not expect department to be fully staffed until “three years out”.
– Bianco said he is “completely against marijuana”.
– Will focus on “making impact against illegal grows”.