BY WALT SCHAEFER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
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Norwood Auxillary Officers Paul Collins, left, and Bud Rich patrol Victory Park on Montgomery Road.
(Tony Jones photo)
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NORWOOD -- A few weeks ago Bud Rich, an auxiliary police sergeant, was on litter patrol in full uniform at Victory Park at Montgomery Road and Mills Avenue.
"I was standing in the bus stop (shelter), obvious as I could be, and I just watched this woman as she scratched off nine (Ohio) lottery tickets and threw each one on the ground in front of me," said Mr. Rich, 42. "She made no attempt to pick them up. I cited her for littering -- a $60 violation."
Litter and other laws are being enforced more closely here, thanks to the work of the new police auxiliary launched in April. City officials are ecstatic at the success of the contingent in enforcing such violations as littering, possession of open containers of alcoholic beverages in public and illegal parking.
"'We want to see this program continue through the year and expand its duties. Of course, with the weather changing it will take on a different focus," said Safety Director Paul Bazzano.
City council, which approved auxiliary funding for spring and summer, is expected soon to give its final approval to making the auxiliary a year-round operation, officials said.
"We believe the program has been an outstanding success, and there are two things that intuitively lead us to believe that. Based on overall reports and the dollar costs associated with vandalism, we see a marked decrease in vandalism in our parks -- one of the key targets of the auxiliary. Comments from our business community that seeing these officers out there deters crime and helps enforce parking and littering laws have been numerous," Mr. Bazzano said. Lt. William Schlie, police coordinator and liaison to the auxiliary, said the unit has helped identify areas transients frequent to drink alcohol, kept an eye on newly poured concrete at Dorl Field and Victory Park to deter vandalism, reported such things as grass fires, fights, assaults and domestic disturbances to regular officers.
"They have become additional eyes and ears for our department," Lt. Schlie said.
"The businesses really appreciate us. They have identified people who buy beer and then go behind buildings or some other place to drink it. They know us, appreciate us, and they help us," said Auxiliary Officer Paul Collins, 24, a June graduate of the police academy at Scarlet Oaks Career Development Campus. "I spent some time this summer at the swimming pool in Victory Park, and parents were positive about seeing us there. The kids were great. That was good for park safety and police image," he said.
Unlike many area auxiliaries, members of Norwood's squad do not carry firearms. They are equipped with pepper spray, carry radios and don full uniforms.
There were 32 men and women on patrol in the spring and summer, each working from five to 29 hours a week at $8.25 per hour. Many were students in law enforcement degree programs at Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati. Parks and the business districts were the focus, officials said.
"I would like to have at least 18 officers for the fall and winter," Lt. Schlie said.
As cooler weather dominates, the auxiliary will continue to concentrate on larger parks -- Victory, Upper and Lower Millcrest and Waterworks Park -- home field to Norwood and Purcell-Marian high school football teams. The business district should see additional patrols.
"We also want to concentrate around the schools where young people congregate to help enforce truancy and to keep an eye on after-school student behavior at places such as the YMCA, fast food restaurants and theaters," Lt. Schlie said.
Officials also are studying guidelines to enable auxiliary police to serve as jail guards and desk officers at police headquarters.
Declining numbers of citations and warnings since the Norwood Police Auxiliary began patrols in April indicate people are becoming aware of auxiliary police enforcement of littering, open containers and parking violations, Police Lt. Bill Schlie said.
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