WILTON — Fliers for the new Wilton Citizen Outreach Program will be available Friday at area sites such as the library and post office.

Four volunteers met with police Chief Dennis Brown on Thursday to continue planning for the program that will begin making calls to Wilton residents at the first of the year.

The community program, sponsored by the Wilton Police Department, involves a police department volunteer placing a friendly phone call to enrolled residents who may not have regular contact with people.

Recipients of the calls need to fill out an enrollment form with family contact information and when and how many calls they would like to receive. Initially the program will only be able to make up to three calls per week to Wilton residents. As more volunteers become available, the group hopes to expand to cover residents in Weld, Temple and part of Farmington, he said.

The “neighbor helping neighbor” program is offered free of charge and is a way to show “that the Wilton Police Department cares about your well-being. Everyone needs a friendly ‘hello’ once in a while, and as important as it is to live independently, it’s nice to know that someone is thinking of you and cares enough to check to see how things are going,” Brown said in an open letter to Wilton residents.

Community volunteers stationed at the Wilton Public Safety building will simply call the individual at a prearranged time of day and ask how things are going while offering a friendly hello to these community neighbors, he said.

Their role is not to advise but to check on the person. If they do not answer, a second call is placed then emergency contacts noted on the enrollment form are contacted and if they cannot make contact or know where the person is they can call police to come help check on them.

The volunteers will call for medical assistance if they find the person needs it and call police for any other suspicious activities, assaults or concerns.

Volunteers will be trained and the only requirement for those who want to participate as a volunteer is that they must pass a criminal background check and sign an agreement to abide by the program’s protocol, Brown said.

The Police Department’s role in the community “has expanded beyond the typical crime fighting,” Brown said. This past year, the department has received calls from residents worried about heating their homes or those who have no money for food. Some have called stating they only have $30 left to heat their home for a month, he said.

This program targets not only seniors but people with mental or physical issues who are basically on their own.

Those interested in receiving calls may return their enrollment form to the Police Department or call the police liaison, Lucille Porter, at 645-3876 for help with the form.

Those interested in volunteering may also call her at the above number. People who know someone who could benefit from this program are asked to tell them about it or let the department know about them.

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Volunteers for the Wilton Citizen Outreach Program met with police Chief Dennis Brown on Thursday to plan for the community program that will begin making calls to Wilton residents in January. From left, are Linda Coolidge, police liaison for the program, Lucille Porter, Brown, Kathy Shepard and Jan Morton. Other volunteers are welcome to participate and fliers will be available Friday describing the new program.

Volunteers for the Wilton Citizen Outreach Program met with police
Chief Dennis Brown on Thursday to plan for the community program that will
begin making calls to Wilton residents in January. From left, are Linda
Coolidge, police liaison for the program, Lucille Porter, Brown, Kathy
Shepard and Jan Morton. Other volunteers are welcome to participate and
fliers will be out Friday describing the new program.