Yellowknife (Dec 24/03) - Extra eyes and ears will soon be helping Yellowknife RCMP.

A $1,000 grant just received from the Rotary Club will be enough to get the new program up and running, says John Carter, director of the prevention and education committee with the Yellowknife Community Wellness Coalition.

The Citizens on Patrol System (COPS) will be patrolling Yellowknife streets by February, he says.

"It will make a safer city for all of us," Carter says.

Designed to be where RCMP often cannot be due to staff or budget constraints, volunteer citizens will be observing and deterring crime, he says.

There are 21 volunteers signed up thus far to assist, he says.

The $1,000 donation will go towards purchasing equipment such as binoculars, flashlights, First Aid kits and safety vests.

While the cost of the program depends on how many volunteers take part in COPS and also how often they patrol, Carter says the $1,000 should cover the basics.

Money also needed to publish their training manual and for a vehicle.

Carter says car dealerships in the city have been approached, seeking the donation of a van for the RCMP, who would then assign it to COPS.

It will also cost a little money to design a logo, he adds.

While on duty, volunteers will be working from an observer's point of view.

In particular, street crime such as assault, break and enters, vandalism or criminal trespassing will be targeted, he says.

"In other areas, the program has been highly successful as a deterrent," Carter says.