GARDEN CITY, MO -
Cities across the country are struggling with dwindling budgets in this recession. But one small town in Missouri is finding a way to get by, and even grow, by getting people to work for free.
Garden City, Missouri, Police say that there are some things that they just can't afford to do. So they have begun using volunteers to answer phone calls, file records and other tasks that free up the town's regular officers free to tackle other problems.
"These are all volunteer hours at minimal cost to the city," said police chief Tom Alber. "We're a small rural community but on the south end of the metro, so we have the same problems that other communities in the metro have but 1/100th of the resources to handle those problems."
Volunteer Jim Jacobs works in the codes enforcement department.
"I like a clean city," said Jacobs, who has put in nearly 10,000 volunteer hours with the city alone. "(I) drive around and make sure people get their yards clean, pick up their trash keep it clean. Some of them do it, some don't."
"They enjoy being a part of the community, a part of the solution as opposed to sitting back and watching things on the news," said Alber. "They're involved in what's going on, and involved in making the community a better place to live."
To see if there's a Volunteers in Police Services program in your area, click here: http://policevolunteers.org/programs/
Garden City Police: http://www.gardencitypolice.com/
Garden City, Missouri, Police say that there are some things that they just can't afford to do. So they have begun using volunteers to answer phone calls, file records and other tasks that free up the town's regular officers free to tackle other problems.
"These are all volunteer hours at minimal cost to the city," said police chief Tom Alber. "We're a small rural community but on the south end of the metro, so we have the same problems that other communities in the metro have but 1/100th of the resources to handle those problems."
Volunteer Jim Jacobs works in the codes enforcement department.
"I like a clean city," said Jacobs, who has put in nearly 10,000 volunteer hours with the city alone. "(I) drive around and make sure people get their yards clean, pick up their trash keep it clean. Some of them do it, some don't."
"They enjoy being a part of the community, a part of the solution as opposed to sitting back and watching things on the news," said Alber. "They're involved in what's going on, and involved in making the community a better place to live."
To see if there's a Volunteers in Police Services program in your area, click here: http://policevolunteers.org/programs/
Garden City Police: http://www.gardencitypolice.com/
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