Volunteering with the Johnson County (KS) Sheriff's Office

I am starting to get a feel for the types of opportunities available for volunteers with the Sheriff's Office:  assisting Deputies with DUI check lanes, assisting with community events such as parades in which traffic control is needed, courier mail to the different buildings the Sheriff's Office utilizes, working in the Civil Division helping with filing and miscellaneous office work, working in the Detention Division making court reminder calls, greeting at ceremonies, being role players for scenarios, playing McGruff at a parade for one of the small towns in the unincorporated area of the county, etc. are just some of the opportunities available.  Interested in becoming a volunteer?  You'll need to complete the Citizen's Academy first.  Click here for more info. 

A few weeks ago I volunteered with 5 others at the Edgerton Days Parade.  One volunteer dressed up in the McGruff costume and rode in the parade.  The rest of us were each paired up with a deputy to help with traffic control.  It was a pretty easy assignment.  (And before anyone throws a tantrum I am not saying the job of a leo is easy but rather this assignment was easy! Geez....)  The parade ran down the main corridor of Edgerton (Nelson Street?).  I was paired up with Deputy Sligar.  Deputy Sligar was cool to hang with. Before the parade started and we moved to the assigned positions he talked about ride alongs and answered some questions I hadn't thought about during my ride alongs as well as general questions about the Sheriff's Office.   He asked how things were going for me since the fire and poked a little fun at me in the process.   I use humor as my coping mechanism so it was actually somewhat comforting to me that some of the deputies made lite of my situation by poking fun at me regarding the patrol car engine fire (you might want to read my entry for ride along #1 if this is the first you are hearing about the patrol car engine fire). I needed a laugh and that certainly was something to laugh about (the patrol car fire, not my fire of course)!  I appreciate all the support I got from everyone while going through the Citizen's Academy during what was a very difficult time in my life so let me just say Thank You to all my fellow CA graduates and the Deputies and Staff for poking fun at me but also keeping me in your thoughts and prayers! 

Okay, back to the parade... We were assigned to block traffic on 2nd street from entering in to the parade route.  Deputy Sligar blocked off the north side of 2nd Street with his patrol vehicle and placed cones across the south side of 2nd Street.  He monitored traffic on the north side and I monitored traffic on the south side.  A couple vehicles approached but turned around before reaching the cones where I was hanging out at so I didn't really have to do anything more than wave at them.  Because I was so close to the street the parade was traveling on people involved in the parade kept asking me if I wanted candy, literature or to shake their hand.  I'm apparently not intimidating at all while wearing a Citizen's Academy shirt and khaki shorts!!!  That's okay!  I'll leave wearing the uniform with badge and gun to the men and women who actually protect and serve!!!  I was really just gabbing with the folks of Edgerton anyway.  :-) 

Not sure what adventure I will get in to next but rest assured if allowed I will blog about it.  This blogging thing is actually kind of fun...  Thanks for reading!