Contact the Mantioba COPP Co-ordinator or the local law enforcement office for direction and support - resource material is available through the Manitoba COPP Program (hard copies). This information is also available on the website.

The Manitoba COPP Co-ordinator and/or the Regional Rep are available to come and talk to those interested in COPP about COPP and the Manitoba Program.

Contact the local municipal government (mayor, chief, council) to provide them with information on the program.

After the community meeting and/or reading all the information and if the group decides to organize the program, they will need to:

a receive approval from their local law enforcement agency to start the group

a establish an executive

• volunteers are needed to coordinate this program
• the police liaison office is there for support versus coordinating the program

a apply to join the Manitoba COPP program for further support

• submit Group Registration Application
• once approved, sign Group Letter of Agreement
• monthly stats, ie. # of patrol hours and # of volunteer hours need to be sent into the Manitoba Coordinator once a month

a establish policy and procedures

• identify boundaries
• including volunteer recruitment package: including welcome letter, job description, application form, Volunteer Letter of Agreement, Copy of Manitoba member conduct/responsibilities, Criminal record check form

a recruit additional volunteers

• find volunteers
• provide information and volunteer recruitment package
• have volunteers complete application form and submit photo

a approve volunteers

• arrange for criminal record checks through police liaison for the volunteers
• the police liaison will do the records checks, then notify the coordinator as to who has passed or not – the police will not provide details as to the decision behind not accepting someone
• the coordinator is then to contact the volunteers and advise if accepted or not (phone and/or letter)
• volunteers who pass the records check can then be accepted into the program
• do up volunteer id cards – police to authorize, expiry date is two years from month of issue
  

a arrange and participate in volunteer training

• A Manitoba COPP trainer will come to your community to do the initial training session
• Identify group member(s) willing to be group trainer(s) for those volunteers that come on aboard after initial training

a obtain equipment (volunteer and group)

• arrange with the Manitoba Coordinator to get your equipment
• arrange for a central location with 24 hour access for the group equipment, if possible ex. Police station, hospital, health centre, gas station/ convenience store.
• hand out volunteer equipment to the volunteers (including id cards - usually at the training)

a schedule volunteers

• a scheduling system needs to be discussed and arranged

a patrol

• go out and do your stuff!

Other

a set up monthly or by-monthly meeting with your group

a submit monthly report to Manitoba Coordinator

• Assist in the overall organization of the program along with the Program Co-ordinator;
• Liaise with other community groups, police agencies and Manitoba Public Insurance;
• Assist in the recruitment and interviewing of volunteers;
• Responsible for responding to any media or public relations inquiries;
• Arrange for security clearance of volunteers;
• Responsible for all matters regarding the Law; and
• Review requests and suggestions received by members from the general public.

• Assist in the overall organization of the program, along with the Police Liaison Officer;
• Provide leadership and guidance to the program members;
• Liaise with the Police Liaison Officer and other members;
• Liaise with other community groups, police agencies and Manitoba Public Insurance;
• Prepare agenda for meetings with the assistance of the Secretary/Treasurer;
• Chair all meetings;
• Responsible for responding to any media or public relations inquiries;
• Participate in interviewing volunteers with the Volunteer Co-ordinator and the Police Liaison Officer; and
• Pass on information provided by the Police Liaison Officer or other members, on areas for special consideration.

• Support the Program Co-ordinator and the Police Liaison Officer and act in their absence - i.e. chair meetings and conduct all relevant duties; and
• Prepare a quarterly report for the Manitoba COPP Newsletter and submit the report to Manitoba COPP Co-ordinator

• Co-ordinate and execute monthly mailings of schedules, phone lists, mailing lists;
• Arrange meeting place for Executive and Membership meetings and inform members of dates, times and locations;
• Attend all Executive and Membership meetings;
• Assist in agenda preparation and distribution;
• Prepare and distribute all Executive correspondence as required;
• Take notes at meetings, prepare minutes, circulate minutes and other notices to members;
• Maintain the COPP volunteer membership list and provide current copies to all Executive members; and
• Maintain filing system including:
  
  
  1. Executive Committee membership list and duties
  2. Volunteer membership list
  3. Program Forms
  4. General information
  5. Public relations documents
  6. Newsletters

• Responsible for the program's money transactions;
• Maintain a record of all money deposited into the account and payments made from the account including any invoices and vouchers;
• Receive and check monthly bank statements to ensure the balance on the statement corresponds with the balance on the running record; and
• Prepare and submit a monthly financial report for the Executive.

• Responsible for scheduling volunteers;
• Ensure all volunteers are capable of and available for completing their respective shifts;
• Maintain scheduling records;
• Responsible for the coordination, distribution and collection of shift reports;
• Submit monthly reports to Executive including Police Liaison Officer and Manitoba COPP Coordinator; and

• Recruit volunteers through various means such as radio, television, newspaper, posters, presentations, word of mouth and public service announcements;
• Review applications with the Co-ordinator and Police Liaison Officer and select those to be interviewed. Interview the screened applicants with the Co-ordinator and Police Liaison Officer. Contact interviewees with outcome;
• Train volunteers, as per provincial training policy and procedures;
• Maintain list of all trained volunteers and provide copies to the Executive members;
• Evaluate members' effectiveness by periodic on-site visits and one on one meetings;
• Provide recognition to volunteers along with all other Executive members; and
• Provide monthly Activity Reports to the Executive.

• Executive Committee meetings should take place one a month (example: the third Thursday of each month)
• Membership meetings are held every three months (example: the second Thursday every third month)
• The quorum for a general membership and Executive Committee meetings should be 25% of the general membership including Executive Committee members.
• Each Executive Committee member provides a monthly activity report to the Executive Committee at each monthly meeting.
• Major decisions should be made by an Executive Committee member only with the approval of the Police Liaison Officer or their designate and two of the following: the Program Co-ordinator, Assistant Program Co-ordinator and Secretary-Treasurer.
• For assistance in running a meeting see Roberts Rules of Order.
• If decisions made at any level affect the program material, appropriate replacement pages will be sent to all general members.

• The Program Co-ordinator should sign COPP letters of official communication.
• All media questions are to be referred to the Program Co-ordinator or to the Police Liaison Officer.
• Day-to-day decisions on important aspects of the running of the program will be made by the Program Co-ordinator, in consultation with the Assistant Program Co-ordinator, Secretary-Treasurer and Police Liaison, and will be reported to the Executive Committee at subsequent meetings.

• All cheques must be signed by two of the three authorized bank signatories. No one can sign a cheque drawn in his/her own favour.
• All payments must be made by cheque. No cash payments of any kind are to be made.
• Records are to be kept in a secure location.

• Interested community members contact their community COPP Program, in response to recruitment activities or on their own accord after hearing about the program.
• The community members are provided with verbal and/or written information on the COPP Program including program goals, policy and procedures, volunteer's role and how to join.
  • verbal - one on one, orientation session
  • written - program overview, job description
• Either, the community members are no longer interested in joining or still are interested in joining the program.
• If they are still interested in joining, they are given a member application form, which they complete and return to the COPP group.
• Once their application is received, it is reviewed and either approved or declined, based on requirements.
• If the application is declined, the applicant is contacted with an explanation.
• If the application is approved, the applicant is contacted and invited for an interview.
• An interview is held and the applicant is either approved or declined as a COPP member.
• The applicant contacted with outcome of their interview. If they are approved, a security check is conducted by police liaison officer.
• Once the security check is done, the police liaison officer will advise the Program Co-ordinator if the applicant is declined or approved (note: no details or reasons will be provided to any COPP member).
• The applicant is advised if they have been approved or declined. If approved, the new member is welcomed and congratulated and arrangements are made to complete the necessary "paperwork" to finalize their membership.
  
  Paperwork should include:
  • Code of Conduct (local level)
  • Volunteer's Letter of Agreement (provincial level)
  • Identification Tag
  • Arrange for Training
  
  
• Arrange for and conduct training with the new member. At the time of training, the new member is provided with a Volunteer Training guide and basic equipment (t-shirt, toque, whistle).
  
  Training will be either:
  • Formal local or regional training (2 ½ - 4 hours training workshop); or
  • One on one with local program trainer (review volunteer guide, as well as a 2 hour shift)
  
  
• Approved members are required to:
  • Adhere to all local and provincial standards and procedures

Failure to meet local and provincial responsibilities may result in a member removal from the local program.

Shift Procedures

Every COPP program should outline, in writing, the procedures for starting and ending a shift, so all members follow the same procedures to maintain program consistency.