ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — In Oro Valley, some community members are stepping in to support police, not by wearing a badge, but by giving their time.
Through the Oro Valley Police Department’s Citizen Volunteer Assistants Program, or CVAP, volunteers help with everything from directing traffic and working community events to fingerprinting and checking on homes while residents are away.
For Kathleen Hernandez, volunteering started as a way to reconnect after a major life change.
“My husband passed away and I moved back to Oro Valley and I was looking for somewhere to be involved and make friends,” Hernandez said.
Seven years later, she is still volunteering.
What began as a way to stay connected has grown into something more, helping both the community and the department.
“For me, meeting people, making friends, being part of the community,” Hernandez said. “We know it’s the safest city and our PD makes that happen and we get the opportunity to help them do that.”
The program has been around since the late 1990s and continues to grow. It currently has more than 60 volunteers, with additional recruits expected to join soon.
Jim Needles, the program’s chair, said the impact goes beyond community engagement and helps the department operate more efficiently.
“In 2025 we had over 155,000 hours and if you equate that to the value of a volunteer hour, that’s over half a million dollars that we essentially saved the town,” Needles said.
Those hours allow sworn officers to focus on higher priority calls and emergencies, while volunteers handle tasks that would otherwise take up valuable time.
Volunteers assist with programs like “Dark House,” where they check on homes while residents are out of town, as well as large events like National Night Out, which can draw thousands of attendees.
Tom Worcester, who helps recruit volunteers, said people stay involved because of the sense of purpose.
“They do it because they want to do it. They do it because they know it’s making a difference. And it gives meaning to what they’re doing,” Worcester said.
The program draws people from a wide range of backgrounds, including retirees, teachers, engineers and former military members.
For Hernandez, the impact is personal.
“As a senior citizen it’s good to be out in the community meeting people, making new friends and making sure that you feel important and viable,” she said.
With demand growing, the department is encouraging more residents to consider volunteering.
Information on how to join the program can be found here.
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
