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Al Fisher understands the importance of community participation in the context of public safety.
Each month, Fisher puts in around 200 hours a month as a volunteer with the Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort helping with programs like the Sheriff’s Incident Response Team and a division that writes parking tickets for motorists illegally parked in spaces reserved for disabled residents.
This month, Fisher began a new chapter at his local SCOPE branch in Fairfield where he has served as president for the past two years.
On Aug. 1, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the office in celebration of collaborative effort that will add the communities of Latah, Spangle, Rockford, Freeman, Mica and Waverly to the Fairfield branch. The new site will be known as the Southeast SCOPE station.
A number of luminaries were in attendance for the launch including Spokane County Commissioner Mark Richard, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, SCOPE director Rick Scott and Jim Kaufman from the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office.
“Our hope is that this will re-energize the SCOPE effort in the Southeast part of Spokane County,” Knezovich said.
When he became sheriff in 2005, Knezovich began visiting town councils in communities like Fairfield, Millwood and Spokane Valley that contract with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office for law-enforcement. Knezovich said the appearances helped to gauge the priorities in each jurisdiction and provide helpful feedback to local police.
“It’s important for me to listen to the issues in each area and see how law enforcement can provide better services,” Knezovich said.
The idea for the Southeast SCOPE office was the result of conversations that Knezovich had with rural residents about the benefits of more collaboration between towns in this part of the county.
“When you have more involvement, people are able to address everything from suspicious vehicles to burglaries to drug houses,” Knezovich said.
Rockford once had its own SCOPE office, but Fairfield has been the singular base for the volunteer effort in the rural area for a number of years. Fisher said the alliance with other communities will help the cause. The Fairfield office has been operating with a volunteer enrollment of just over a dozen.
“I think it will get a lot stronger,” Fisher said. “It’s a matter of getting the word out that this will help the community.”
A crime prevention meeting in Fairfield on Aug. 6 brought out close to 30 people, many of whom expressed interest in volunteer for the new SCOPE branch.
Scott said SCOPE plans to “get more involved in the southeast part of the county” by having a presence at town council meetings, civic occasions and events like the Southeast County Fair. Flyers will also be distributed to let residents know about the new SCOPE office.
“We’re trying to raise awareness,” Scott said. “I think people will realize that this is not just about Fairfield, but all the communities out there.”
There are now 18 SCOPE branches throughout Spokane County, including four in the city of Spokane Valley. Offices are also set up in Liberty Lake, Otis Orchards, Newman Lake and Millwood. Last year, SCOPE volunteers contributed over 25,000 hours to the program, the equivalent of around $500,000 in salary compensation.
Want to find out more?
To learn how to volunteer for SCOPE, contact Rick Scott at 477-3376.
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By
Craig Howard
