City of Davis, CA
Home MenuVolunteering
Want to do something meaningful in the Davis community? The Davis PD VIPS Program offers a variety of ways to help.
Volunteerism is invaluable to our city, and with your help, we can continue to improve the quality and quantity of services we provide to the community. Please email us if you are interested in volunteering please email our PD Volunteer Coordinator at policeweb@cityofdavis.org today!
Going out of town? Check out our Vacation House Check Program.
Volunteer opportunities are offered year round and can accommodate various schedules, interests, and skills. Our most popular types of volunteer opportunities are described below.
Davis Police Department Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS)
VIPS serve as extra “eyes, ears, and helping hands” for the police department, but do not engage in contacting, detaining, or arresting suspicious persons or criminals.
Downtown Host Program
Downtown Hosts are volunteers who provide a friendly face for our downtown community. Hosts help visitors to area shops, restaurants, cultural venues and historic sites. Downtown Hosts also act as extra eyes and ears for the Davis Police Department to control nuisance behavior.
Trauma & Grief Support (TAGS) Program
The Davis Police Department, along with the Davis Fire Department, has established a program called TAGS (Trauma & Grief Support Program). TAGS volunteers work on an on-call basis in conjunction with the Department to assist on-scene community members who are experiencing grief and/or trauma. This critical program is utilized by the Officers, Fire personnel, and the Office of the Coroner to assist with death notifications, comforting family members and witnesses immediately following a death, and rendering assistance any time first responders request TAGS presence at a call or incident.
The program details are found in the Policy 911.
The special nature of this role requires a separate application process. Information about the application process can be found in the TAGS application.
To apply or speak with someone about the team please email policeweb@cityofdavis.org
Get started
If you are ready to start having an impact in your community please complete the Volunteer Application. Once filled out please drop off or email the completed document to our Volunteer Coordinator at policeweb@cityofdavis.org.
Graffiti Abatement
Graffiti is a serious crime that impacts all citizens in the City of Davis. The Davis Police Department has established the Graffiti Abatement Program in an effort to respond to graffiti issues in a prompt manner. The Police Department staff and volunteers have partnered together with community members, neighborhoods, and business owners to immediately remove graffiti from city surfaces when it is reported.
How can you help:
- Schedule a graffiti removal/reporting presentation at your neighborhood or business meeting provided by the Davis Police Department. Call (530)747-5419 to sign-up.
- Adopt-a-block/area. After your training is complete, you can start removing and reporting graffiti on city property on a regular basis and report private property graffiti by using the contact information provided to you in training.
- Participate in Graffiti Removal or organize a group clean-up day. You provide the volunteers, and the Graffiti Removal Program will provide the paint, cleaning supplies, training and supervision. For additional information, please call Graffiti Abatement at (530) 747-5419.
Prevention
Graffiti cannot always be prevented, but property owners and residents can reduce the incidence of graffiti on building exteriors and walls by having good lighting and "uncomfortable" vegetation in place. Graffiti may also be impacted by working closely with neighbors, neighborhood associations or neighboring businesses to be the eyes and ears of your community.
Graffiti abatement is a joint effort between the Davis Community and the Davis Police Department. We need your help!
Report graffiti on our 24-hour hotline: (530) 757-5600
Community Advisory Board
History
Formed in the fall of 2005, the Police Community Advisory Board (CAB) was designed to provide the Police Chief face-to-face dialogue with representatives from the community.
Today, it is critically important for all police organizations to promote and cultivate community involvement with their agencies. The CAB is designed to establish a meaningful, effective and on-going relationship between the police and the community in both formal and informal ways.
Selection and Service
The CAB is an advisory board consisting of members representing the broad Davis community. Members are selected by and serve at the will of the Police Chief.
Representatives do not serve a specific term; however, some representatives have a natural term limit by the nature of their selection from the group they represent. There is value in new members and fresh ideas, but there is also value in keeping board members who have experience and historical perspective. Ideally, members will build understanding and trust with the police department and share that with their constituents. As the needs of the community and the police department change, the composition of the CAB will change as well.
Since CAB is an advisory panel, it has no review or investigative power over internal investigations over police oversight. The CAB is about building police-community relationships.
General Purpose
The CAB representatives meet with the Police Chief on a monthly basis to provide input to the Chief regarding constituent concerns. Additionally, CAB members take information away from the police department back into the community. This Board has a broad public representation and input into the police department. Most importantly, CAB opens and sustains on-going dialogue with key members of the community on issues of mutual concern. It serves to enhance police/community dialogue and facilitate transparency of police policy, procedure and operations.
General tasks include, but are not limited to:
- Engage with the police department; participate in meetings, surveys, and other activities.
- Participate in problem-solving efforts to reduce crime and improve quality of life in Davis.
- Work with the police department to ensure crime-reducing resources and tactics are being deployed that mitigate unintended consequences.
