PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

CITIZENS ACADEMY

            The goal of the Fort Morgan Police Department Citizens Academy program is to provide participating citizens with information about our agency and law enforcement in general in order to facilitate a better understanding of the law enforcement profession.  The Academy is made up of ten meetings where officers from the Fort Morgan Police Department, in conjunction with representatives from other agencies provide training in various police-oriented functions. 

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

            The Neighborhood Watch program is geared toward building relationships between neighbors and law enforcement.  Neighborhoods involved in the program are encouraged to meet on a regular basis to build and maintain friendships.  Law enforcement officers attend these meetings in order to provide information and assess neighborhood concerns.  This program is an excellent information gathering and dissemination vehicle for both the community and the Police Department.  Neighborhoods that remain active in the program receive crime deterrent Crime Watch Neighborhood signs at both ends of the block. 

SAFETY VILLAGE

          The Safety Village is a program designed to educate pre-school and kindergarten students on the importance of bicycle and traffic safety.  After a presentation providing safety tips, the children are allowed to practice their knowledge and skills by driving motorized tricycles on a street simulated track. 

EXPLORER POST

The explorer post is a combined venture between the Boy Scouts of America, Fort Morgan Police Department, and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office.  This program is designed to provide a base for youth interested in a law enforcement career, offer positive relationships between the police and youth, and to serve as a service organization to the community.  This program currently has 6 explorers and is supervised by Sgt. Jim Parks.

ANNUAL REPORT

          The Fort Morgan Police Department's Annual Report is produced by the Police Department in an effort to provide information on Department statistics, goals and programs.  The annual report is now available at 2007 Annual Report.   

VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

            In recognition of the desire to provide increasing services to the community, the Fort Morgan Police Department has instituted a volunteer program.  Volunteers have long been an important resource in this country.  “The foundation of our social and economic structure was built on the contributions of citizens for whom the accomplishment of a task was of more value than monetary compensation” (quoted from Fort Morgan Police Department Volunteer Manual).  The Volunteer Program is innovative and flexible in setting up matches between a position and the volunteer’s skills and interests.   

TRIAD AND SALT

            The Fort Morgan Police Department is an active member of the Morgan County TRIAD.  TRIAD is a partnership between the Police Department, sheriff’s department and representatives from the senior citizen community.  TRIAD was formed to address crime issues that affect older citizens and to enhance delivery of law enforcement services to that population.  Representatives meet at TRIAD to address issues collected from local SALT committees.  SALT (Seniors and Lawmen Together) committees are the local arms of the Morgan County TRIAD.  Each SALT meets to communicate ideas and concerns about local senior citizen law/enforcement services.  SALT meeting are open to anyone who is interested in seniors’ issues. 

WATCH YOUR CAR

            The Fort Morgan Police Department, along with other Colorado police and sheriff’s departments, the Colorado Department of Public Safety, and the Colorado Auto Theft Investigators Association, is proud to introduce this new auto theft prevention program.  People who do not routinely operate their vehicles between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. are encouraged to participate by placing the Watch Your Car decal on their vehicles.  These decals give law enforcement officers nationwide permission to stop vehicles displaying those decals during that time frame in order to determine if the car is stolen. 

R.U.O.K.

            In cooperation with the Morgan County Communications Center, the Fort Morgan Police Department offers the Are You OK program.  Homebound citizens sign up for this free service and receive telephone calls at predetermined times of the day and night from the communications computer system.  If there is a problem, an officer is dispatched immediately to the recipient’s residence to check on their status. 

MORGAN EVALUATION TEAM

MET is a part of the Moran County Design time.  The MET component is a partnership of state, county, and municipal level resources organized to help families by evaluating and planning a need-based plan that addresses the challenges of at-risk youth, ages 12-17.  Referring agencies collaborate in order to minimize youth development problems and refrain from the duplication of services.  The seven core members of this team include representatives from Centennial Mental Health, Morgan County Family Center, Morgan County school districts, Juvenile Diversion, Probation, Department of Human Services, and law enforcement.   

SCHOOL LIAISON PROGRAM

Sgt. Doug Schossow supervises the School Liaison Program.  This program provides a police officer to each of the Fort Morgan RE-3 School District schools.   Each officer spends an average of three hours per week at his or her participating school.  Officers may assist a class with a special project, tutor a student, go on a field trip, or simply hang out with the students.  The program builds relationships between the officer and the students in an attempt to break down barriers. 

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM

          Recently, the Fort Morgan Police Department received a grant from the federal government for a school resource officer.  This program is an effort to promote a climate of safety within the high school and middle school.  The officer not only provides support in the event of criminal acts, but also presents a visible criminal deterrent by developing positive relationships with students and assisting staff in curricular and co-curricular activities. 

MATT STICKERS

            The Fort Morgan Police Department provides MATT (Medical Assistance Treating Toddlers) stickers to local insurance agencies, Department of Human Services, foster parents, and any resident requesting one.  The MATT sticker program began in Longmont, Colorado, in 1995 when a six-month old child named Matt was involved in a head-on traffic collision while riding with a relative.  Matt’s driver was left unconscious and Matt suffered a life threatening head injury that required immediate surgery.  Police did not know Matt’s identity and were only able to trace his parents because an address book was located in the wreckage.  Valuable time was lost due to this delay.  Matt was airlifted to Children’s Hospital for emergency brain surgery and he has since recovered fully from his injuries. 

            These car seat stickers, dedicated to Matt and all young children who are incapable of speaking for themselves, are placed on the bottom or back of the child’s car seat to assist emergency personnel in identifying the child should an accident occur that disables the adults in the vehicle. 

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND DEPARTMENT TOURS

            The Community Services Division provides presentations to any community group or organization requesting information about law enforcement related topics.  Tours of the Police Department are available to groups and individuals upon appointment.

Fort Morgan Police Department Community Resource Officer Roger Doll oversees all of these programs.

For further information, contact Officer Doll at 970-542-3948.