The CHP has an assignment for older people looking to give back

“Work is a blessing.” Growing up, I never appreciated this pearl of wisdom. However, with each passing day, I get a satisfying feeling from a good day’s work. I am proud of it, of working, of being productive. So, looking into my future, how will I find this “blessing” as a retiree?

Maybe you have the same issue. Would you like to enjoy the satisfaction of working and helping others, perhaps as a member of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Senior Volunteer Program? Many people look for a certain satisfaction that only comes with service, which our senior volunteers excel at. So, what do our senior volunteers do exactly? Let’s take a look at the CHP Madera Area’s SVP unit.

The CHP Madera Area is a lieutenant command consisting of 27 officers, four sergeants and eight senior volunteers. I recently contacted public information officer Gregorio Rodriguez, who is the uniformed coordinator in Madera for the SVP unit. He said the SVP unit is productive and proactive in the community as well as being a huge help to the office in general.

Senior volunteers assist with front office duties and school bus certifications; deploy the radar trailer; take a patrol vehicle to school zones; and monitor traffic. They look for and help process violators of the CHEATERS program (looking for illegal foreign registrations). This SVP unit has their own charter and elects a president, vice president and secretary. The Madera Area SVP is in the process of becoming a charitable nonprofit, so they can make even more contributions to the community they serve.

So, who may apply? Candidates must meet the following criteria:

▪ Must be age 55 or older.

▪ Must be able to work at least four hours a week.

▪ Be available to work during regular business hours.

▪ Have a clean driving record and no felony convictions.

▪ Be able to pass a background check, including at least two interviews, fingerprinting and review by the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

▪ Complete the CHP Senior Volunteer Training Program.

▪ Sign a statement of professional ethics.

We take accepting senior volunteers seriously. They will work in a sensitive environment where unprofessional, unethical practices will not be tolerated. The CHP is accepting applications for our Safety Services Command (SSC). The SSC office is in Fresno. If you are interested in applying for our SVP, please contact me at rmontano@chp.ca.gov or give me a call at (559) 277-7250.