LAKEPORT, Calif. – Volunteers continue to provide an important, cost-saving service to the Lakeport Police Department, according to a report given this week to the Lakeport City Council.

Lakeport Police Lt. Jason Ferguson presented the annual volunteer hours report to the council at its regular Tuesday night meeting.

Ferguson was accompanied by Greg Scott, a retired Cal Fire employee who has been one of the police department's most dedicated volunteers.

Ferguson said it was important to recognize the volunteers. “They're instrumental in us being able to function everyday.”

The volunteers carry out many tasks for the agency, Ferguson said – from handling parade duty, traffic control generally and around the schools, and transporting evidence to the Department of Justice for processing.

All of that work means officers can stay on the streets, Ferguson said.

In 2015, Lakeport Police's six volunteers provided 1,169 hours of service, for a net savings to the city of $23,380, Ferguson said.

He said during the Valley fire, the department's volunteers provided around-the-clock patrols at the Lake County Fairgrounds, where hundreds of fire personnel and their vehicles were stationed, as well as at Westside Community Park, where additional apparatus and personnel stayed.

“They did a great job maintaining security there,” Ferguson said, adding that the fire departments and Cal Fire all were appreciative of the work Lakeport Police's volunteers did.

“Greg was one of those working around the clock to make sure that all that was protected and safe,” Ferguson said of Scott.

He added, “This volunteer group is a very dedicated group of individuals who provide these services at no cost to the city, but certainly at personal and financial cost to themselves.”

Mayor Marc Spillman came down from the dais to shake Scott's hand and thank him for helping the city during difficult times. The council and staff rose to give Scott a standing ovation.

Councilman Martin Scheel said the security at the fairgrounds arose from a discussion with Cal Fire and local officials about security concerns.

Scheel said Police Chief Brad Rasmussen was present for the discussion, and Rasmussen responded by offering to have his volunteers conduct the patrols.

It turned out that the Lakeport Police Department received some compensation for those services, which is going to equipment and uniforms, said Scheel.

Scheel said he knows some of the volunteers, and they have day jobs yet worked overnight shifts at that time. “That’s asking a lot of any citizen.”

The city is glad to have the volunteers, Scheel said, adding that Cal Fire appreciated having them there.

In addition to the 1,169 volunteer hours reported for 2015, volunteers gave 2,473.5 hours in 2014, 1,360 hours in 2013 and 1,950 hours for 2012, according to previous Lakeport Police Department reports.

Regarding the difference in hours in 2015 versus past years, Rasmussen told Lake County News that is attributed to the fact there are now about four fewer volunteers than in past years.

Even so, he said some of the current volunteers tend to work more hours than the average.

Also, in past years reserve officer hours were counted in the annual total, but Rasmussen said his agency did not have any reserve officers in 2015 as the two volunteer reserves were hired on full-time by January.

“And our remaining reserve is now part-time paid,” Rasmussen said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.