More than half a dozen volunteers are needed to help patrol trails around St. Joseph.

“They keep an eye on cars that are maybe prowling around or people and they just call in and our officers come and check them out,” said Sgt. Greg Gilpin with the St. Joseph Police Department.

It’s the 11th year for the City of St. Joseph’s Trail Watch program.  Gilpin said the program is made up of citizen volunteers that patrol area hike and bike trails.  He said he is searching for around eight more people to lend a hand.

“I kind of need people who are familiar with the area a little bit so if they need to call into the comm center they can give their location,” Gilpin said. “We’re not training them to be police officers, they’re not out there to do the officers jobs but if they see something they call in and we’ll get an officer out there to take care of it.”

Gilpin said the volunteers will go through a training program before they hit the trails to patrol in golf carts.  He said the plan is to have at least one trail covered seven days a week, weather permitting.

“There’s an application and then after that I bring them in for an interview,” Gilpin said. “After that we’ll set up some training when I get a group.  That’s 2-3 hours long and then they’ll be put out on the trail either with one of the veterans or with me.”

Gilpin said volunteers have already been out on the trails but he’s lost a few volunteers so more are needed.  The program runs as long as the weather permits.

“I’ve had them out there in November,” Gilpin said. “It just depends on the weather.”

Anyone interested in volunteering should call Sgt. Gilpin at (816) 236-1473.