SOUTH DAYTONA POLICE DEPARTMENT

The South Daytona Citizens Alert Council, Inc. is an organization of individuals and businesses that support the South Daytona Police Department and its community in a cooperative effort to help prevent crime through neighborhood watch, citizen awareness and crime prevention programs. The group has also expanded its involvement to include activities with the South Daytona Fire Department and Parks and Recreation Department.

The program has been in existence since 1980. They hold monthly meetings and mail out quarterly newsletters to members. The group also supports "Citizens Patrol," a group of volunteer members who patrol the city. The volunteers patrol in marked units equipped with police radios, acting as additional "eyes and ears" of the department by reporting suspicious activity.

There are currently over 100 active members. The group holds annual events such as the National Night Out Against Crime and Drugs, National Crime Prevention Month/Awareness Day and annual barbecue fund-raiser. It is estimated that this group has raised an average of $5,000 per year for each of the last 27 years, which is used to help fund special needs and programs of the agency. A special commitment the group has sponsored for the past nine years is the 50 percent funding of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Bullet Proof Vest Grant program.

The department sponsors a Citizens Home Firearms Safety Class 4 to 6 times a year. The class is an all day event which includes both classroom and range training. There have been 65 classes and over 1,200 graduates since its inception in 1991.

For the past 10 years, the department has sponsored a "Kids Fishing Tournament." The last seven years the event has been held in cooperation with the Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety at the Sunglow (Ocean) Fishing Pier. This event brings together “cops and kids” for a day of sun, fun and fishing. This year, 100 kids (along with parents) fished for prizes totaling over $9,000. Prizes and donations were collected from area businesses and the South Daytona Citizens Alert. Every child received a brand new rod and reel, fishing tackle, event t-shirt, medallion, goody bag and lunch. There is no charge for participation and the kids ages range from 4 to 14. The kids catch a variety of salt water fish.

For more information please contact Lieutenant Ron Wright at rwright@southdaytona.org.