Chelsea has a very unique program to keep its residents safe and its streets peaceful.

It&8217;s called Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.). The group is an all-volunteer organization that considers itself the eyes and ears for the city. C.O.P. members are trained to patrol Chelsea&8217;s street in hopes of deterring crime. They are not armed, nor do they confront anyone. What they do is keep a lookout for anything suspicious and report anything noteworthy to the Shelby County Sheriff&8217;s Office.

The members also help is many other ways, whether it&8217;s using their CPR training, helping at a car accident, directing traffic, or aiding during the city&8217;s Christmas parade, Halloween festivities and Chelsea High School Football games.

The C.O.P. program is an ideal way for Chelsea residents to get involved and make an impact in their community. It&8217;s great to see people who really want to make a difference in their hometown. These fine men and women give up part of their day to help others.

However, residents in other Shelby County communities can also make a difference by staying alert to their surroundings. Chelsea C.O.P. members tell residents that being observant is the first step in reducing crime in a neighborhood. They encourage citizens to know their neighbors and agree to look out for each other and report suspicious activity, persons and crime to the Sheriff&8217;s Office at 669-4181.

Getting involved and getting on the offensive is something we all can do to reduce crime in Shelby County.