Citizens on Patrol helps cut Pinal County crime

The Pinal County Sheriff's Office is expanding into the Santan area an anti-crime program that has resident patrolling the streets as watchdogs.

The Citizens on Patrol, which started in Gold Canyon two years ago, is credited by the sheriff department for decreasing crime in that area by more than 50 percent, not to mention saving the department about $400,000.

The patrol is a band of residents who volunteer their time to watch the streets of their community night or day. The Gold Canyon program has 42 members, made up mostly of retired residents who wear matching blue polos and take turns driving a squad car complete with flashing lights and a Pinal County Sheriff decal.

Citizens on Patrol members do not have police powers, said Pinal County Sheriff Chris Vasquez."They can't get out and talk to anybody," Vasquez said. "All they are is a set of eyes and ears to report crime that they might come across."

People interested in the program must go through a background check, training and pass a defensive driving course.

With the success of the Gold Canyon program, Vasquez said he wants to continue expanding it throughout Pinal County.

The Santan area is the most populated, fastest growing region in Pinal County. And with more people often brings more crime, said Barbara Munoz, coordinator for the Citizens on Patrol program.

"There have been a lot of complaints in those communities because it grew so quickly," Munoz said, citing an increase in vandalism and gas siphoning as fuel prices increase.

Those are the types of crime that could be prevented by the watchful eye of the volunteer crime fighters. Vasquez said patrollers think like burglars, trolling the streets for unlocked doors or open garages, then warning homeowners or business owners about the possible entry point.

"It also educates the owner," Vasquez said. "If they get called down there at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning I guarantee they're going to start locking their door."

Challenges facing the new program in the Santan area are finding more vehicles for volunteers to drive and making sure there are people interested in joining the program.

But interest in the program may be Pinal County's smallest problem.

About 40 people came to a Wednesday night information meeting at Walker Butte K-8 in Johnson Ranch Creek to learn about the Citizens on Patrol program.

Many said vandalism and burglaries is what spurred them to consider joining the Citizens on Patrol program.

"We'd only been here only maybe a month and somebody had egged our house," said Kristy Knotts, a 44-year-old massage therapist who lives in Pecan Creek.

Clifford Mascaremas, a sergeant in the Army Reserve who lives in San Tan Heights, said his neighborhood has been plagued by vandalism, including slashed tires and graffiti.

"We're having some problems in our neighborhood and nothing is going to happen unless we're out there having a presence," said Mascaremas, 29.

John Heiken, 38, a Pecan Creek resident who is a general manager for an industrial paint company, said he just wants to play a part in securing his community.

"We're going to be very restricted on what we can do but it'll make me happy if I know I stopped something from going on, someone from getting hurt or someone's stuff from getting stolen," Heiken said. "It'll be great."

Information: 520-866-5220 or 520-866-5221.