Shaker Heights Citizens Police Association

Mission

The Shaker Heights Citizens Police Association (SHCPA) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide ongoing support and volunteer services to Shaker's Police Department and to keep its membership informed of developments, strategies, and current information about law enforcement.

Membership

Membership in SHCPA is open to graduates of the Citizens Police Academy. The Association's membership averages 75 people.

Monthly Meetings

Monthly meetings include reports on volunteer programs, departmental information, and guest speakers.

Annual Holiday Dinner

SHCPA hosts an annual holiday luncheon for departmental personnel each December during a two-day period in order to cover the four working shifts. Local merchants and members donate the food.

Volunteer Programs

SHCPA offers a variety of volunteer opportunities in direct support of the Police Department. Some activities are open to all active members and others have additional selection, uniform and training requirements. Pre-pandemic, SHCPA members provided more than 3,000 hours of volunteer service each year through the following programs and activities:

  • Citizens on Patrol— Specially trained volunteers conduct routine neighborhood patrols both on foot and in unmarked police vehicles, providing an extra set of eyes and ears. In addition to reporting suspicious activity, volunteers conduct vacation home checks, report streetlight outages and assist with traffic control and other duties as requested by police officers.
  • Citizens Response—A team of SHCPA volunteers can be activated by the Police Department to assist with storms, searches and other emergency situations.
  • Police Weapons Cleaning—Specially trained volunteers provide monthly cleaning of shotguns and patrol rifles.
  • Fingerprinting—Trained volunteers provide fingerprinting for residents who require them for background checks.
  • Administrative Support—Members work under police supervision on special projects for various offices within the Police Department.
  • Police Training Support—Volunteers assist in Police Department training activities by role-playing in dynamic simulation exercises.
  • Special Event Details—Members assist the Police Department with crowd control and traffic direction on holidays and special occasions, such as Halloween, the Memorial Day Parade, and other large events.
  • Annual Property Auction—Bicycles and other unclaimed property are sold to the public during an auction supported by SHCPA volunteers.