The Greenfield and Area Citizens on Patrol (COP) marked its tenth anniversary Feb. 10. The group was formed in 1998 with just eight members. Today patrols are done seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For safety purposes, members didn’t wish to be photographed. This logo, which is used across the province, was designed by the Greenfield organization.
Greenfield COP celebrates 10 years
The Greenfield and Area Citizens on Patrol (COP) reached its tenth anniversary Feb. 10, the day the first official meeting took place in 1998.
In “1998 there were two town hall meetings in Greenfield and they wanted to just control some of the break and enters and all the problems that were within the area,” explained the first senior patroller and current chair, Vince St. John.
Starting with just eight members, more than 30 citizens are part of the COP today.
St. John has been with COP from the beginning; he chaired the first official meeting.
“Basically what we do is carry out a two person patrol day or night,” he explained. “I assign them days and they in turn do the days of that which they want.”
The Greenfield and Area COP serves Greenfield, Bangs Falls, Labelle, Pleasantfield, Middlefield, Buckfield, Riversdale, and Lakeland Retreats to Ballou Point.
Each patrol lasts a minimum of between four and five hours.
“We are the ears and eyes of the community reporting to the RCMP,” said St. John.
The group’s accomplishments include assisting a burnt person in summoning 911, assisting the RCMP with cottage checks, reporting damaged and down power lines, reporting hazardous road conditions, assisting the RCMP in carrying out surveillance and helping set up a COP organization in Sable River, St. John said.
They also assisted the RCMP with vehicle surveillance during a rash of break and enters in the White Point, Liverpool area, said St. John.
They successfully spotted the vehicle.
“We developed the logo which is now accepted throughout the province,” he added.
RCMP security clearance is required for membership, said St. John.
He explained the patrol team carries a three-watt cellular phone and a police radio.
Members are required to participate in at least one patrol per month, attend regular meetings and special training sessions as scheduled plus abide by the rules and regulations of the COP, stated St. John.
When thinking about the past 10 years, St. John said, “It’s been an enjoyment serving the community and all you have to do is look at the amount of people that still belong to it. I think 50 per cent of the people are original patrollers.”
Over the past 10 years the Greenfield and Area COP has completed 12,320 man-hours, traveled a total of 152,600 kilometres and completed 1,450 official patrols.
by Leanne Delong/The Advance 
