Citizens on Patrol is a community-based organization relying on citizens to assist the police department and their community by patrolling business districts and residential neighborhoods in their vehicles looking for crime, safety hazards, parking problems, ordinance violations and other potential problem areas of the city. Citizens volunteer their time to provide this service to the community.

    Citizens on Patrol assist the police department by patrolling school zones, conducting traffic surveys, enforcing handicapped parking violations, monitoring re-occurring graffiti sites, reporting city ordinance violations, observing criminal activity and contacting the police when assistance is needed. They are equipped with police radios, cellular telephones, camcorders, flashlights, notebooks, and highly visible placards for their personal vehicles identifying who they are. Citizen patrollers are “to observe, record and report” activity to on-duty police officers. The police officer’s then investigate and act on the information given to them by Citizens on Patrol. They patrol for up to 8 hours with two members in a vehicle.  Each team sets the amount of time they spend patrolling. Some range to 2 hours up to 8 hours.

    Citizens on Patrol spend 14 hours in training prior to patrolling. Then they attend monthly one-hour organization meetings. Citizens on Patrol are not expected to arm themselves and do not get into physical confrontations. They use their own vehicles and pay for their own fuel. The police department provides a patrol car for use in emergencies and special assignments.

    The City of Blackfoot City Council approved funding to establish Citizens on Patrol. Once established, funding for the program comes from grants and private donations.

    A Chairman and Board of Directors direct the Citizens on Patrol organization. They report to a liaison officer. The liaison officer is a member of the Blackfoot Police Department and receives direction from the Captain and Chief of Police. Currently, Sgt. Jeff Mosbrucker is the Liaison Officer. Chairman of the Board is Charles Belnap and Wayne McClellan is the Captain. There are approximately 40 members of the C.O.P.’s.

    If you would like further information about Blackfoot’s Citizens on Patrol program we invite you to contact the Citizens On Patrol Organization at (208) 785-1235 or e-mail with the link below.  The program is designed for involvement for persons over the age of 21.   All applicants must pass a background and drivers license check.