HomeMy WebLinkAboutRPT 5 SR VOLUN PROG 07-20-92'. REPORTS NO. 5
9 2 7-20-92
.TE: Inter -Com
JULY 15, 1992
TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Recommendation
The City Council RECEIVE AND FILE this report.
Discussion
The Tustin Police Department (TPD) and Melissa O'Neal, manager of the Tustin Area
Senior Center, have worked in conjunction to design a recruiting program which will,
hopefully, be successful in recruiting new senior volunteers for not only TPD but for
the City as a. whole. We are in the process of designing contemporary recruitment
posters, which will be placed throughout the Senior Center in an effort to recruit
personnel for specific job tasks. Melissa is reviewing her current file of seniors who
have volunteered in the past in an attempt to "match" a particular person for a skill
required at TPD.
In conjunction with these efforts, Melissa is coordinating with the Orange County
Senior Volunteer Center (OCSVC), of which we are a member, to reinforce the fact
we are actively recruiting volunteers. The OCSVC is well aware of our policy of
accepting volunteers who have particular skills and do wish to volunteer their time in
a meaningful manner that will relieve a staff employee on a continuing basis. While
we have hopes these efforts will produce the desirable candidates, we are also aware
of the past history regarding senior volunteer programs and their total success rate in
municipalities.
Professionals in the field who work with senior volunteers on a continual basis are
uniform in their professional opinion that senior volunteer programs are successful if
the right person with desirable skills who can work on a regular unsupervised basis
can be recruited. Unfortunately, oftentimes these people are few and far between;
the net result is the amount of staff time required to coordinate seniors' work product
is not cost-effective for a municipality. Professionals in the field are generally
unanimous in their opinions that one cannot correctly compare the successes of
volunteer programs between cities. The demographics of each city are generally
unique and, therefore, must be considered when one is viewing the total success of
w Mr. Huston
July 15, 1992
Page 2
a senior volunteer program. Some cities have a higher degree of educationally
qualified/technically oriented personnel who are willing to commit on a full-time basis,
thus their program may be successful for a short period of time. However, as the
demographics of a city change, the number of volunteers who are productive for the
community will often change in relation to the changing socio-economic conditions of
a city.
Hopefully, our latest efforts at recruiting qualified personnel to volunteer their
expertise to assist TPD will be a success. We will continue to review our success
ratio in recruiting qualified candidates and seek the advice of professionals in the field
to determine if it will be cost-effective for the City to engage in any other efforts to
attract qualified candidates.
W. DOUGLAS FRANKS
Chief of Police
&VIDIAMI