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1/17/2013 - South Side Leader
     

By Maria Lindsay

The patch shown above identifies members of the Volunteer Auxiliary Springfield Police, or VASP.

File photo/Maria Lindsay

SPRINGFIELD — Volunteer Auxiliary Springfield Police (VASP) are providing a valuable service to Springfield and Lakemore, according to the Springfield Board of Trustees.

At the Jan. 10 trustees’ meeting, VASP Coordinator Linda Denton provided details about the group and its service to the community in a year-end report on 2012 activities.

VASP was established in May 2008 to help the Springfield Police Department with nonenforcement duties, according to officials.

Denton told trustees the group includes 14 active volunteers who logged a total of 3,724 hours of service and put 3,793 miles on the group’s cruiser last year. That service included doing 347 senior checks, 284 house checks and 24 business directory updates. In addition, the group participated in special details that included participating in a number of community events, such as Rock the Docks (323 hours), the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Akron, the Easter Egg Hunt, Bark in the Park, a Memorial Day Parade and pancake breakfast, the Ron Victor Memorial Fishing Derby, Springfield’s summer concerts, trick-or-treat, sports and other events at Springfield High School, the Lakemore and Springfield tree lighting ceremonies and Shop with a Cop.

VASP also participated in vessel inspection training, conducted boat inspections, initiated a boat patrol of Springfield Lake and did maintenance work on its boat and dock.

The group also helped with: a bomb threat at Springfield High School, downed trees and lines after a storm, spring street cleaning, a house fire and dismantling slot machines and methamphetamine labs.

“VASP has been a great success,” said Trustee Chairman Dean Young. “We extend our thanks.”

Also at the meeting, trustees approved a three-year contract for patrol members and sergeants of the Police Department. The contract, which went into effect Jan. 1 and will run through Dec. 31, 2015, includes an increase of 2 percent this year and 1 percent next year and the year after.

Trustee Bruce Killian said the first year of the contract mirrors the 2 percent increase granted to Road and Fire department employees for 2013 under a one-year contract approved recently.

Trustees also said a new traffic light at Canton Road and Springfield Lake Drive is now operational and helping to improve traffic flow. In addition, “no left turn” signs are up at both Calvin and Meadow drives, preventing such a move onto Springfield Lake Drive.

In other business, trustees approved:

• the purchase of parts for Road Department snowplows from Winter Equipment Co. Inc., not to exceed $2,301; and

• a contract with The Dell Group to do asbestos surveys of properties slated for nuisance abatement.

The next regular trustees’ meeting will take place Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 2459 Canfield Road.

     

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