About C.A.P.

What is CAP?
The CAP program is made up of a group of citizens who volunteer their time to assist the Cary Police Department in and around the Town of Cary, freeing sworn officers for other duties. The program offers an opportunity for those interested in law enforcement to combine their interest with the personal satisfaction of volunteering. CAP Team members help provide security at public events and assist the Cary Police Department with child safety seat installation, administrative duties, sobriety checkpoints, traffic control, park patrols, and many more duties. Cary’s CAP program is one of many programs in North Carolina that are recognized by Volunteers in Police Service, a national initiative begun in 2002. The national program is part of the USA Freedom Corps, which President Bush announced the creation of in his 2002 State of the Union Address.

What does the CAP Team do?
The CAP Team is open to anyone who wants to lend a hand, learn new skills and make new friends. Before becoming CAP Team member, a volunteer must successfully complete Cary’s Citizens Police Academy and receive training in a variety of areas. The Cary CAP committees currently include the following:

Board of Directors
The Board consists of elected officials that oversee the Cary CAP program.

Community Patrol Program
Members monitor parks and greenways for unusual or suspicious activity and patrol the downtown area to promote safer and friendlier gathering places.

Seat Belt Survey
Individuals conduct surveys to study seat belt compliance. Reports are presented as monthly percentages.

Child ID Kits
Members assist parents in filling out identification kits for their young children.

SAFEchild Blankets
Members both purchase and make blankets which are donated to the SAFEchild (Stop Abuse For Every Child) program in Raleigh.

Bicycle Giveaway
The team works to repair/refurbish bicycles that may be donated or sold for a good cause.

PD Operations
Volunteers assist in varied roles during Cary PD operations including LiDAR, DWI Checkpoints, Seatbelt Verifications, etc.

Child Passenger Safety
Trained individuals assist parents, grandparents, and other caregivers with the proper installation of car seats.

Winter Wonderland
Volunteers serve as surrogate “grandparents” for underprivileged children selected by the CPD at an event held near the Christmas holiday where our Bicycle Giveaway group also provides a gift card, a refurbished bike, a bike lock, and a bike helmet to each child.

Cares & Concerns
This committee offers support, typically in the form of a card, flowers or gift, to team members for a variety of reasons, including both happy and sad occasions.

reCAP
This committee is responsible for composing and issuing a quarterly or annual newsletter that outlines recent CAP events, accomplishments and other announcements.

Other Activities
CAP Team members may also assist with public events (i.e. Spring Daze, Public Safety Day, Lazy Daze, etc.), traffic control, training events (i.e. Active Shooter exercises and TSA K9 exercises), administrative duties, maintain this website, and more.

History of CAP
The Cary Police Department formalized the CAP program in the summer of 2000 after Citizen Police Academy graduates asked for a way to continue volunteering with the department. By the summer of 2002, the CAP program had 31 volunteers. Currently there are almost 100 volunteers.

CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY CLASSES ARE CURRENTLY OFFERED ON AVERAGE ONCE A YEAR
ALL COURSES ARE FREE. CLASS SIZE IS LIMITED.

For more information on CPA registration, please visit the
Cary Police Department’s Crime Prevention & Safety webpage.

“Serving Those Who Serve”