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CA NEWS

2007 January 1998 Sun Rays
2008
2012 A history of COPs
2016
When residents of Colonial second vehicle was needed to adequately
Boston decided to do more to patrol the entire community. Over the
keep their communities safe, years, the COPs program transitioned
they organized America’s first “town from a chartered club to its own
watch.” Working with their local law committee, then to a subcommittee
enforcement, citizen volunteers took of the Emergency Management
turns patrolling the streets. Duties Committee. The group’s office has been
included corralling renegade livestock, based out of the front gatehouse and the
mediating public disputes and ringing a Georgetown Police Department’s north
bell to alert neighbors of danger. substation. Now, thanks to advances
in technology, the COPs office is not
Though no bells are involved, the limited to one physical location. Rather,
Citizens on Patrol have been helping each office volunteer covers their shift
keep “watch” over Sun City Texas for from their home using a dedicated COPs
nearly 20 years. In 1997, residents Office cell phone and a binder.
worked with the Community Association
to create the Citizens on Patrol (COPs) Today, the COPs organization
program which attracted more than continues to be the eyes and ears of
150 volunteers dedicated to keeping the Georgetown Police Department
their community safe. According to within Sun City Texas. They observe
the January 1998 Sun Rays, “Live and report – and, through this presence,
and Loran Volland took the first directly contribute to keeping the crime
shift on November 24, 1997, which rate low in the community. By working
was officially proclaimed as Sun City with law enforcement and with their
[Texas] Neighborhood Watch Day by neighbors in mind, these volunteers
Mayor Leo Wood.” offer a sense of security for residents
that has made this one of the best
Del Webb provided the first active-adult communities in the nation.
Neighborhood Watch van. By 2000, a

Special thanks to our 20th Anniversary Sponsors Del Webb, Suddenlink Communications and
Goodwater Wealth Management Group of Raymond James for thier support of the community and our anniversary celebrations.

14 | SUNRAYS NOVEMBER 2016 ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG