Senior police volunteers to patrol downtown Loveland

 As part of an ongoing effort to increase the visible police presence in Loveland, senior police volunteers are patrolling downtown.

The Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald reports that the Police Department's 23 senior police volunteers dress in uniform and can radio police dispatch. Officials say the volunteers will help increase the visual police presence, report incidents to officers and help identify areas that may be problems.

Sworn officers will also be patrolling the area on foot as time permits. According to a news release, business owners downtown had asked the department for more officers downtown.

Officials say that despite the fact that senior volunteers do not enforce laws, they do help enforce a partnership of trust between the community and the department.