Volunteer patrol help sought by Marysville

MARYSVILLE — A while back, a group of tweens in Marysville was up to no good.

Brad Hovik put a stop to that.

Hovik, a retired electrician and member of the Marysville Volunteer Program, drove by the kids in a decked-out police Chevy TrailBlazer.

The “police” presence got the kids to behave, Hovik said. At least until he left.

“They were ranting and raving and causing a ruckus, and they calmed right down,” he said Wednesday.

Hovik is one of about a dozen people who volunteer for school patrols, vacation house checks and other work that supports the Marysville Police Department.

The volunteers have dwindled in recent years, and the department needs people to apply, Lt. Darin Rasmussen said. Police volunteers make Marysville safer by providing a visual deterrent to crime.

The program used to be primarily retirees, but volunteers now range from their early 20s to late 80s, Hovik said.

When checking on the homes of people on vacation, police volunteers often find alarms on and front doors unlocked or even gaping open, he said. They immediately call police and back away in case there is a crime in progress.

John Chatterton has been volunteering for three months. His favorite part is working security at special events for the city, he said.

“I was just looking for something different,” he said. “Once you retire, you’ve got to get out of the house.”

Volunteering for the program is flexible, with most volunteers working one to two shifts a week, Hovik said. More volunteers would mean fewer shifts per person. All shifts are done in pairs for safety.

Volunteers have to go through an interview and a background check, he said.

“We’re out representing the police department,” Hovik said. “They want people that aren’t going to embarrass them too much.”

Applications are available at the police department at 1635 Grove St. or download an application on the city’s website.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com