Dear Editor,

In last week’s paper you wrote an article about the Volunteer Coordinator, Brea DeRespini who works for the Parks and Recreation Department. In the article you stated the amount of hours the volunteers under her had put in for the year. I believe you stated over 9,000 hours. In the same article you also made mention of the Police Department Volunteers, which is the group, known as CAPS. This core of volunteers has been under the direction of the Police Department since 1995 and not under the direction of Ms. DeRespini. Presently, we have a core of 31 volunteers that are very active in serving the Police Department and the community. In a year they put over 6300 hours. Now, if there is a core of 31 volunteers and they only put in 6300 hours, how can it be that Ms. DeRespini states her group puts in over 9000 hours? Is Ms. DeRespini including the hours from the Explorers, Police Reserves, and Animal Shelter? If she is counting our hours then she is not correct in reporting the stats. Something doesn’t add up and I feel you have been given the wrong information. The hours that CAPS puts in cannot be added to Parks and Recreation since this is a division under the Police Department. I have been the Volunteer Lieutenant for CAPS since 1995 and I know how hard they work and the amount of hours they put in. I am very proud of this group of folks and so is the Police Department and the credit should be given to them for their hard work.

Thank you,

Robert Neathery

Citizens Auxiliary Police Services