In 1974, President Richard M. Nixon created by executive order this week in April as National Volunteer Week.  This week signaled a recommitment to creating a culture of service in America by millions of Americans.  This year, National Volunteer Week officially occurs April 10-16, 2011. Through the years, since the inception of this program, the recognition for this tribute has grown into a month-long celebration of those who take an active role in reaching out and giving back to their communities and individual organizations. 
 
Here in Post Falls, we wish to extend a very special "Thank You" to the many volunteers we have, who engage themselves and dedicate their time and service to the Police Department and the City of Post Falls.  Since our program began in 2003, our volunteers have helped discover creative ways to meet the expanding needs for services, which create meaningful change in our community.  
 

We are very fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteer Chaplains serving the Post Falls Police Department.  Our Chaplain program was expanded in 2010 by adding one additional Chaplain bringing this unit to four.   Meet our Chaplains…

The Y.A.N.A. program is designed to provide daily phone contact to individuals with limited family or community contacts. The Program is a service to senior citizens of Post Falls and provides telephone welfare checks for those persons living alone that would benefit from having someone check on them on a regular basis.  The program is designed to provide a measure of security and well being for our seniors, handicapped or homebound individuals who are living alone.

The VIPS (Volunteers in Police Service) Program began in 2003 with five volunteers.  As of January 2011, there are 20 active volunteers who are an invaluable and indispensable resource and asset.  VIPS have backgrounds in such varied fields as real estate, the medical field, telemetry, electrical contracting and engineering, machinist, budget and finance, computer technology and education.

Did you know that that Post Falls Police Department has a tool to assist in the identification and location of children and adults with mental and physical disabilities who wander away from their homes or care facilities?