A special troop of deputized civilians in Greece can issue parking tickets and make arrests on behalf of the Greece Police Department. These aren’t your regular beat cops. In fact, many members of the Greece Special Police Unit are retirees or have full-time jobs outside of law enforcement.
The team is made up of volunteers who offer their spare time to cover low-level police assignments like traffic control at a town carnival or routine park patrols. It is one of just four civilian police units in Monroe County.
“Our team has been around for almost 70 years,” Special Chief Michael DiCataldo said. “We’re freeing up full-time officers to stay on the road and answer calls, while … also serving the community and making their environment safe.”
GPD’s Special Police Unit is now recruiting additional volunteers.
Greece Special Police Unit deputizes civilians. How it works.
Members of the Special Police Unit are deputized as New York state peace officers. They undergo background checks and must sit through 180 hours of training on topics like criminal procedure law, de-escalation tactics and use of force.
They are not permitted to carry a gun, but they do have Tasers, batons and pepper spray at their disposal.
DiCataldo described their role in public safety as a visible deterrence to whatever trouble might erupt at community events. Most times, he said, the job of special police officers is straightforward: Save taxpayers police overtime costs by providing crowd management or traffic control at special events or during severe weather emergencies.
But the civilian cops are authorized and expected to intervene and make arrests should the situation arise, like during a rowdy fight at a high school football game or if the officer witnesses a trespassing or harassment case while on patrol.
In most cases, DiCataldo said the officers will make what they call a “turnover arrest,” where they temporarily detain someone until a Greece police officer can arrive to take over.
The team hasn’t made an arrest in seven years, he said. And they are held to the same conduct standards as regular police officers.
If a misconduct complaint is lodged against a special police officer, GPD’s internal affairs unit investigates the complaint and doles out discipline accordingly. Members of the unit are thoroughly vetted for temperament and candidates with misguided motivations are quickly weeded out, DiCataldo said.
Greece civilian police force dates back to Cold War
The unit dates back to 1951, when the federal government called upon civil defense teams to protect against threats of communist nuclear attacks during the Cold War. Monroe County directed each municipality to form an auxiliary police force. By 1997, many of those teams disbanded. The Greece Special Police Unit remained.
DiCataldo, who has served on the unit for 39 years, said it is a good way for prospective police candidates to gain relevant experience or for older individuals who once had an interest in policing to give back to their community in a similar way.
To qualify, applicants must be at least 20 years old, a U.S. citizen, possess a high school diploma and a valid driver’s license, and live in Monroe County. The schedule is flexible, although volunteers must commit to a minimum of 12 hours per month.
For more information or to apply visit, www.greecepolice.org/special-police.
— Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Instagram at @bykaylacanne. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Inside Greece Police’s civilian group deputized to write tickets, make arrests
Reporting by Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
