Some Sheriff's Department volunteers get a sedan. In Valley Center, they get a four-wheel-drive sport utility vehicle.
Volunteers canvass some 350 square miles of rugged terrain, including the famous Nate Harrison Grade Road, a winding mountain climb that resembles a seismograph reading on a map.
The rough ride is routine for Valley Center Volunteer Senior Patrol officers Alan Kirkpatrick, 61, and Mareta "Rita" Martin, 82.
Kirkpatrick and Martin are members of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department ---- the Senior Volunteer Patrol. They said their duties include taking evidence to the courthouse, checking the homes of residents who are on vacation, and the You Are Not Alone program, where volunteers check on elderly and disabled residents. Volunteers concentrate on routine tasks so sworn officers can devote more time to law enforcement.
During a major emergency such as a wildfire, they are responsible for directing traffic ---- a crucial task in Valley Center where an emergency responder, possibly without cell phone or radio reception, may not know where to go.
Kirkpatrick and Martin said they picked up the nickname "dynamic duo" after they happened to be on patrol during a high-speed chase. They were able to direct responding officers to the getaway car, which eventually crashed.
Martin, a retired Navy reservist and county Probation Department administrator, said she joined the volunteer patrol to get out of the house and give back to the community.
"I enjoy every minute of it," she said. "The best part is being with a good partner, and helping people, and having a busy day. It's interesting, it's a variety, and you just can't get bored."
Kirkpatrick, who retired from the Navy and a commercial real estate career, said the best part of the job is being able to connect with people, whether it be at a high school football game, a local farm where people are picking pumpkins, or just saying hello to a stranger.
"(Veterans Day) one of the detectives was out there with me putting flags on the gravestones of the veterans," Kirkpatrick said. "I mean, he didn't need to be there, it was his day off. It's that kind of camaraderie."
To be a senior patrol volunteer, applicants must be in good health and at least 50 years old, but not necessarily retired. Candidates have to go through a background check and a two-week training academy to learn how to use a police radio, CPR, and more. After a few ride-alongs, volunteers are ready to hit the streets, with a minimum six-hours-a-week volunteering requirement.
For more information on how to become a member of the Senior Volunteer Patrol, or how to register for the You Are Not Alone program, contact Gene Flatt at the Valley Center Substation, 760-751-4405.
Call staff writer Lucia Walinchus at 760-739-6675.
