Volunteers help to keep Centennial Trail safe

POST FALLS – Post Falls police are making the best of low staffing levels by utilizing volunteer officers as extra eyes in the community, patrolling the Centennial Trail and soon conducting speed enforcement operations.

This is the second year Post Falls police have deployed volunteers to watch over the Centennial Trail. Eight volunteers are trained to do the patrols, said police Capt. Scot Haug.

They will be on the trail about two days a week.

The volunteer officers will report misdeeds to commissioned police, but will also be available to assist Centennial Trail users repair flat bicycle tires and offer first aid to people with minor injuries.

“What we are trying to accomplish is more of a customer service program,” Haug said.

He added that the volunteer patrols cost the Police Department nothing but the expense of the gas used to fuel the donated Yamaha Rhino 700 UTV, which was provided by River City Yamaha. The Rhino is equipped with first-aid kits, water and basic firefighting gear in case the volunteers encounter a small, trailside blaze.

Centennial Trail Foundation Manager Charlie Miller said he’s happy that the patrols will be available to assist the walkers, bicyclists and skaters using the trail.

“It sounds like a great program, and we really appreciate that kind of thing,” Miller said.

In addition to monitoring activity on the Centennial Trail, volunteers will also use the UTV to patrol in Post Falls parks.

Haug said some park areas have been particularly vulnerable to vandalism because they are tucked away and inaccessible from a patrol car. The UTV, however, will be able to reach them.

Black Bay Park has had quite a few problems with vandalism.

“They are our eyes out there, so if they see something happening they can call police officers out on patrol,” Haug said.

The UTV will also be used at community events for traffic control and to move traffic cones, barricade tape and other police equipment through crowded areas.

Haug said the speed enforcement program is expected to start within the next two weeks.

Volunteer officers will be equipped with radar guns and will record license plate numbers, makes and models of speeding cars as well as the times of day and locations of the incidents and genders of the drivers. Warning letters will then be sent to the vehicles’ registered owners.

The officers will work from a car marked “Volunteers on patrol.” As noncommissioned officers, they can’t write tickets, but they can monitor areas for speeding and remind people to drive more safely.

“The goal,” said Haug, “is to make people more aware.”