The dedication of 44 community policing volunteers was recognized Monday evening during a banquet at Signal Point.
Each volunteer received a certificate of appreciation and pins from City of Williams Lake Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook and RCMP Insp. Warren Brown.
Started in 1999, community policing today hosts 13 different programs and chair Andy Sullivan said new programs will be rolling out in the near future.
Brown praised the volunteers as unsung heroes, who provide extra eyes and ears in the community.
“We’ve a cross-section of experienced and younger folks in this room,” he said as he looked around.
Smiling, Brown told a story of driving home with his wife one evening recently when they passed a vehicle driving below the speed limit. When he looked over he saw Citizens on Patrol members Bob Sunner and Bob McIntosh in the new community policing vehilce looking around as they drove on.
“It was Bob and Bob on a Saturday night at 11 p.m.,” Brown said.
Safer community co-ordinator Dave Dickson said there are almost 100 volunteers volunteering for community policing. many involved with more than one program.
He described the volunteers as “fabulous, fabulous people who come out night after night day after day to keep all 13 programs on the go.”