COPS Program Information
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE C.O.P.S. PROGRAM
What is C.O.P.S.?
Community Oriented Police Services is a project of the Gwinnett County Police Crime Prevention Unit that goes beyond a neighborhood watch program. Benefits include:
*Learning techniques that will minimize the chance of you or your family becoming a victim of crime.
*Learning how to recognize problems in your community and developing ideas to solve specific problems.
*Getting to know your neighbors so that unusual activity will be noticed and reported.
*Establishing a relationship between your neighborhood and the police department.
Does the C.O.P.S. Program Work?
Yes! Nearly all communities in C.O.P.S. have shown a decrease in criminal activity. Just as important, C.O.P.S. brings your community together.
Does the C.O.P.S. Program cost anything?
No. In addition, the program requires a minimal amount of time to maintain.
How long does it take to become a C.O.P.S. community?
It normally takes about six (6) months to complete the required programs necessary to graduate. Upon completion, a C.O.P.S. sign is placed at each entrance to your neighborhood. Neighborhoods who complete the program become Master Communities.
What are the requirements to continue to participate in the C.O.P.S. Program year-after-year?
Communities must complete two (2) meetings a year - one informational program and one which is a social gathering. In addition, each community should send representatives from their neighborhood to the annual C.O.P.S. Festival which is normally held at the Gwinnett County Civic Center during the first week in October.
Do C.O.P.S. communities get additional help from Gwinnett County Police?
Yes. Master communities are permanently assigned a crime prevention officer to handle police-related problems in your neighborhood. Each participating community’s C.O.P.S. liaison will be provided the officer’s work telephone number and e-mail address. If a police-related problem needs to be addressed, the neighborhood liaison should contact the officer.
What are “Block Captains’?
Block Captains are responsible for 6-8 homes around theirs. If crime or a police-related incident takes place on their block, they are responsible for notifying the neighborhood C.O.P.S. liaison. In summary, block captains are the key to getting the word out to others in the neighborhood.
In addition, block captains are responsible for relaying information to all participants on their block. For example, there may be a suspicious person/vehicle/activity in the neighborhood. It is the responsibility of the neighbor who observes the suspicious person/vehicle/activity, to notify the neighborhood liaison. The liaison will e-mail the block captains. Then the block captains will notify the participants in their area.
