Bayview assistance requested

The men in brown are looking for some help from the people of Bayview, Idaho.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department has decided to expand its Citizens On Patrol Program into the small town on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. The program was piloted in Harrison and Cataldo earlier this year.

“It’s the same program, different corner of the county,” sheriff’s Capt. Ben Wolfinger said Friday.

Volunteers in the Citizens On Patrol Program have special uniforms and help the department by answering routine calls for Vehicle Identification Number inspections, conduct welfare checks on elderly shut-ins, help with traffic control during special events and keep a lookout for crime and suspicious activity in the neighborhood.

People interested in participating can take an eight-week Citizens Academy course to familiarize themselves with the Sheriff’s Department and the county’s criminal justice system.

Those who complete the course and want to participate in the Citizens On Patrol Program can then begin a 10-week training academy.

Nearly all classes will be held in Bayview. Classes will be from 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Jan. 19. The Citizens Academy will end on March 12, with another training and graduation at North Idaho College from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Citizens On Patrol Academy will then begin March 30 and run weekly through June 1. One Saturday of training is scheduled for May 21.

Applications for the Citizens Academy can pick up applications at the Bayview post office.