ALVIN CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
In 1993, a group of individuals started the first Alvin Citizens Police Academy (ACPAAA) and there have been 11 classes since then.  We have even had 6 ministers in the City of Alvin and  surrounding areas take the class . They did this in order to start a Chaplains program for the Alvin Police Department which has been very successful. The Alvin Citizens Police Academy is an organization dedicated to informing the citizens of Alvin as to the workings of the Alvin Police Department and all its departments. We are a 501 (c)3 organization so all of your donations are tax deductible.

VOLUNTEER HANDICAP PROGRAM
The Volunteer Handicap Parking Program began in 1995 after the Alvin City Council passed a Volunteer Handicap Parking Program Ordinance. The program began with 29 volunteers who attended training sessions and were issued Polaroid cameras and paperwork that could be used to document handicap-parking violations in the city.

The volunteers eventually reached 40 in number, which was recognized by the Texas Governor's Committee of People with Disabilities as the largest volunteer handicap parking program in the state of Texas.

Most of the volunteers are handicapped or have family members who are handicapped. Fund-raisers held by the volunteers offset the cost associated with the cameras and film. The volunteers documented the handicap parking violations they observed during their routine shopping and other outings that took them around town.

The Police Department also had the opportunity to work with the Kent Waldrep National Paralysis Foundation on the passage of the Disabled Parking Bill (HB 580) during a recent legislative session.

ADD'EM UP PROGRAM
"ADD'EM" UP, the teenage anti-drinking and driving program at the Alvin Police Department, started as a proactive program to encourage voluntary compliance of teenagers to not drink and drive. The Police Department offers the "ADD'EM" UP program on every third Saturday of each month and it is free of charge.

The program involves group discussions on how alcohol impacts the body and teaches the teenagers about alcohol laws. The teenagers also have an opportunity to wear the "Fatal Vision" goggles, which simulate the sight and coordination of an intoxicated person with a blood/alcohol level of .17%.

The teenagers are able to wear the goggles in class and perform simple tasks such as pouring water into cups and navigating a series of safety cones on foot.
Next, they are challenged by attempting to drive a golf cart on a closed course while using the goggles to experience the feeling of driving while impaired.

Finally, the teenagers sign a contract with the Police Department indicating that they will not drink and drive or ride with anyone who has been drinking.

ANTI-TOBACCO & ANTI-ALCOHOL STING PROGRAMS
Anti-Tobacco & Anti-Alcohol Sting Programs were both initiated in the early 1990's by the Alvin Police Department. The programs were designed to place responsibility and accountability on local merchants for illegally selling alcohol and tobacco products to those who are underage. 

The leading cause of death for children is traffic accidents and more than half of these incidents are alcohol-related. For tobacco, 92% of users begin their use of tobacco between the ages of 9 to 18 years. Ultimately, one out of three tobacco users will perish from its use. 

These sting operations involve our officers monitoring underage volunteers who attempt to purchase alcohol and/or tobacco products at local area stores. Sadly, the first tobacco sting (1992) resulted in 43 out of 46 stores making illegal sales. After more than a decade of conducting these enforcement efforts, these numbers have essentially reversed themselves, with only two or three locations making illegal sales.

We feel that these results are proof-positive that our efforts, driven by our concern for the children in our community, have truly made a difference in the quality of life in Alvin.

SENIOR CITIZEN PROGRAMS
These program have been in place at our department since 1991.

The Senior Citizen Volunteer Program enables seniors who are retired or disabled, to remain active and give back to their community by volunteering their time at the Police Department, handling administrative and clerical tasks. These efforts have resulted in thousands of hours of additional support.

The Are You Okay? Program was initiated to develop a network of support for the elderly, homebound and other challenged residents in our community. This service provides valuable assistance to these special people, offering them comfort and reassurance, daily phone calls and the thought that others do care about them.

Some benefits of this program:

• Seniors have been alerted regarding transient criminals who prey upon elderly homeowners, the provision of fans, portable heaters, blankets, smoke alarms and assistance with utility bills. Meals are even provided occasionally.

• Glenna Winn, the program's original coordinator, was 76 years young when she began with us and, in 1999, at the age of 84, received the Governor's "Senior Volunteer of the Year" award from then-Governor George W. Bush.

The Shepherd Program was initiated in 1998 in an effort to gather information and develop a coordinated response to those citizens with Alzheimer's disease. Nearly 4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's and they can easily become disoriented, lost and reported as missing by family members. This program allows for critical information and photographs to be on file with the Police Department. This proves invaluable in the event that someone is found and appears disoriented or is reported as missing by loved ones.

The 55 Alive/Mature Driving Program is co-sponsored by our department and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). This program provides senior citizens with an educational opportunity to enhance their driving skills through discussions on issues, such as age-related physical changes, declining perceptual changes, local driving problems and license renewal requirements. This program consists of an eight-hour refresher course that is designed to meet the needs of mature drivers and promote safe driving habits as well as to avoid traffic accidents.