Police Create Relationship Educate Public Through Special Programs

Under the direction of the Fredericksburg Police Department, law enforcement fosters a relationship with private citizens through several different outreach programs.

The Citizens Police Academy gives residents the chance to learn more about law enforcement and the challenges the officers face.

Graduates of the course can choose to join the Fredericksburg Volunteers in Police Support (FVPS) which performs specific duties in the community.

Citizens Police Academy

Since the COVID-19 pandemic canceled plans for the academy last year, the Citizens Police Academy is taking applications for the next class.

The date for the Citizens Police Academy is yet to be announced. The department is giving more time for citizens to apply since they missed the opportunity last year. “The academy is an opportunity for people in our community to learn about us and what we do,” said Lt. Braxton Roemer of the Special Services division of the Fredericksburg Police Department and FVPS liaison.

Roemer explained as a police department, a connection and understanding with the people they serve and protect is very important.

“As a police department, we want to connect with our public. We want to have a relationship with the public,” Roemer said.

“We serve the public so anything that we can do to foster that relationship, anything that we can do to educate, that’s what we’re trying to do with the citizens police academy.”

Anyone 18 years of age or older is eligible to take part, and city and county residents are encouraged to participate.

Applications are available at the Gillespie County Law Enforcement Center at 1601 East Main Street or online at www.fbgtx.org.

Roemer stressed that interested individuals can apply at any time, and applications are kept on file and the applicant contacted when a class is forming.

A records check will be performed and, if accepted, the applicant will complete the training course.

Classes meet once a week for eight weeks.

There is to cost to attend other than one’s time, and mandatory attendance is not required.

“We just take our department, we break it down into different classes, and we’re talking about almost everything that we do,” Roemer said.

The eight-week schedule covers a variety of topics, including department organization, tour of the Gillespie County Law Enforcement Center, dispatch, jail, patrol division, school-based policing, taser/less lethal/firearms, criminal/juvenile investigations, narcotic/special investigations, a scenario day, special services and the FVPS.

“When people finish the Citizens Police Academy, they will have a pretty good idea of how the police department functions,” Roemer said. “Then, it gives them an opportunity to ask any questions they might have.”

Through the course of the program, participants will have the opportunity to meet many of the department members.

The program culminates with graduation as part of the final week.

Working with Roemer with the Citizens Police Academy is Sgt. Derek Seelig, training coordinator.

After completing the course, graduates can choose to join the Fredericksburg Volunteers in Police Support. They are issued a uniform and other items and may then begin volunteering.

Recently retired Fredericksburg Police Department officer Clem Castillo delivers toys and meals for Toys for Tots and Blue Santa. — Standard-Radio Post/ Madalyn Watson

Fredericksburg Volunteers in Police Support

“We have a volunteer program (FVPS), a nonprofit organization that is linked to the police department,” Roemer said.

Graduates of the Citizens Police Academy are encouraged, but not required, to join the Fredericksburg Volunteers in Police Support (FVPS).

With coronavirus last year, Roemer said, many of the activities and causes the FVPS was involved in were canceled.

Volunteers assist with several aspects of the Police Department’s tasks.

“If you’ve ever been to any of the parades or anything, and you’ve seen the light blue uniforms, those are our volunteers,” Roemer said.

In addition, they patrol the downtown area to help deter shoplifting, handle clerical work, participate in training and emergency exercise drills.

“We also have a warrant program and for people that get citations, and they don’t pay their traffic tickets,” Roemer said. “We have one of our volunteers, he looks all that stuff up, and he sends out notification letters.”

Roemer said it helps the court system as well as law enforcement.

“Volunteers actually have their own car that they can utilize and they’ll use it for any conferences that they

go to that relate to volunteers, but they also use it for residence checks,” Roemer said.

“People can notify us when they go on vacation, and ask us to go check on their house.”

Volunteers are tasked with these jobs so the department is not losing officers on patrol.

In addition, they offer training assistance for exercise scenarios, conduct the business identification and emergency notification data program and work with handicapped parking enforcement.

They also assist the Fredericksburg Police Department with the summer youth program.

When meetings of FVPS resume, they plan to go back to their schedule of gathering on the second Thursday of the month at the Gillespie County Law Enforcement Center.

Dues are $10 per year and there is no meeting in December.

Board meetings begin at 6 p.m. followed by the general meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Lt. Braxton Roemer of the Special Services division of the Fredericksburg Police Department and FVPS liaison teaches a class at the Citizens Police Academy.

Other Programs

In addition to the Citizens Police Academy and the FVPS, the police department plans several other community outreach programs.

Roemer said the Blue Santa program is close to his heart. The FPD partners with the Rotary Club of Fredericksburg that sponsors the Toys for Tots program for families in Gillespie County.

Through Blue Santa, the department provides holiday meals for families. In the past, they provided a certificate to purchase a turkey dinner at H-E-B.

Since many families celebrate in different ways, now they receive a voucher for any food they want for the holidays, Roemer said.

Another FPD outreach program is the Police Summer Youth Program. The program is for kids ages 7 to 14 and usually starts in June.

The free program includes several different events like movies, swimming days, archery and fishing lessons as well as other field trips.

To participate, parents and children need to fill out a packet with the schedule and permission slips from Gillespie County Law Enforcement Center, 1601 East Main Street; City Hall, at 126 West Main Street, or download it from www.fbgtx.org under the police department’s link.

Roemer said the program is what is it is today thanks to the hard work of Yvonne Alberthal, Leian Peterson and Danielle Woolverton.