POLICE PROGRAMS
Domestic Violence
The Detective Unit partners with Willow Domestic Violence Center.
Call 911 if you are immediate danger of abuse, have already been battered, or have experienced any crime that is connected to a current or former intimate partner, or current household member. For more information about our services, please contact the police department at 242-2561 and speak with an officer. Willow (link their website) can be reached at 242-6300 (local) or 1-800-77-3030 (24-hour hotline) and on the Internet at
http://www.willowdvcenter.org
Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.)
The D.A.R.E. program, taught by two Ottawa police officers, is attended by area 5th graders. Participating elementary schools include: Lincoln, Sunflower and Garfield, and Sacred Heart Catholic School.
D.A.R.E. teaches students to recognize and resist the many direct and subtle pressures that influence them to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, illegal and prescription narcotics. In addition, the program encourages students to resolve disagreements peacefully without resorting to violence. Students graduating from D.A.R.E. are invited to attend the D.A.R.E. Camp the summer following their completion of 5th grade.
D.A.R.E. Camp
D.A.R.E. Camp rewards 5th graders who graduate from D.A.R.E. It is also an opportunity for members of the Ottawa Police Department to interact with students in a positive environment. Several officers, their families, schoolteachers, and volunteers from the community attend this three-day camp each August. This award-winning summer D.A.R.E. camp is considered to be one of the premier camps in the country.
Registration: Fifth grade students receive an application at school prior to the conclusion of the academic school year. Attendance at the camp is FREE to participants. After the application is completed and returned by parents to the police
department a confirmation letter is mailed along with additional forms, which must be completed before the camp begins. Finally, an information packet will be mailed to parents with details about the camp and a list of items children should bring.
Activities
Canoeing, air rifle and archery marksmanship, arts and crafts, team-building games and
swimming. The favorite activity each year is always “fire hose soccer.”
Funding
Because the camp is free to qualifying students it must be financed entirely by
donations from civic organizations, businesses, corporations and individuals. If you
would like to donate resources or funding for this worthwhile cause, please visit
http://www.ottawapolicefoundation.org or call Chief Weingartner at 785-242-2561 x7400.
The Ottawa Police Foundation is a private non-profit 501(c)3 organization and
donations are tax-deductible.
Special Olympics
For many years the police department has actively supported the activities of Special Olympics Kansas through various activities and fundraisers; these include, the Torch Run, The Polar Plunge, and donation events at various businesses.
The Purpose of Special Olympics Kansas
Special Olympics Kansas is dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports competitions, health and nutrition programs and leadership development. Offering year-round initiatives to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics Kansas is a platform for acceptance and inclusion as well as one of the largest advocates for healthy lifestyles in the state – regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or cultural differences.
Go to www.ksso.org if you would like to donate to the worthy cause. Contact Community Services Officer Larabe Alexander if you would like to participate in some other way.
Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS)
We need you and have opportunities waiting!
Volunteers are a vital part of the Ottawa Police Department Family! Serving side-by-side with the officers and paid staff, the men and women of VIPs actively give back to the Ottawa community, enjoy personally fulfilling experiences and perform vital functions in the department.
VIPs work in the municipal court, police administrative office, other temporary assignments, and various community events. They perform services such as receptionist, data entry, fingerprinting job applicants, and other administrative duties.
Community Service Programs for VIPs include: McGruff The Crime Dog, Identa Kid, DARE Camp, Parades, Traffic Control, conducting surveys for various City agencies, roadway surveys, traffic safety monitoring, and more.
Members of VIPS donate 1200 - 2500 hours per year.
If you or someone you know has extra time they would like to devote as a member of VIPS, please contact Ron Hughes, Volunteer Coordinator, at (785) 242-2561 or by e-mail at rhughes@ottawaks.gov.
We perform background checks on VIP applicants before adding them to a program.
