During Volunteer Appreciation Week (April 19-25), we take the time to highlight the people whose volunteer work is responsible for keeping our community running.
Colleen Sizer is a recent recipient of the City of Chandler’s 2020 Strong Arms Volunteer Recognition Award for her tireless dedication to the Chandler Police Department.
According to Melanie Smith, Community Outreach Coordinator with the Chandler Police Department, Colleen has taken on a diverse set of roles to help the Department’s Property and Evidence Section and Criminal Apprehension Unit.
“From the start, Colleen has had a strong dedication to the Chandler Police Department,” Smith said. “When volunteering in Property and Evidence, she is always pleasant and willing to help.”
Among other roles within the Department, Collen acts as telephone compliance volunteer to help work through the City’s backlog of misdemeanor warrants.
“This program has been extremely successful, year in and out, due in whole to the work of the volunteers who make up the team,” Smith said. “For more than a year Colleen has been our sole volunteer for the Criminal Apprehension Unit, Telephone Compliance section. She works hundreds of hours during the year, contacting misdemeanor warrant suspects by telephone, informing them of the status of their warrants and the consequences of disregarding them. In each call, Colleen displays her professionalism, determination and compassion.”
In fiscal year 2018-2019, Colleen’s efforts led to the clearance of hundreds of City of Chandler warrants, which had a combined bond amount of more than $225,368.25.
“The voluntary compliance generated from Colleen has freed up a great deal of sworn officer duty hours because officers did not have to expend the time and the cost of tracking people down and booking the offenders into jail,” Smith said. “Colleen is an excellent volunteer who believes strongly in giving back to the community.”
Q&A with Colleen Sizer
Q. What kind of work do you do with the Chandler Police Department?
A. After misdemeanor warrants are issued and sent to the Department, I verify they are still open. I make phone calls to the individuals to inform them on how to clear the warrants. Volunteers are the only people who make these phone calls. Some people pay their warrants without being contacted — or they are arrested and it is handled that way — but most of them are cleared due to my phone calls
Q. What motivates you to offer so much of your time to the Chandler Police Department?
A. I am a very lucky person, and I am very humbled and grateful that the Department chose me to be a part of their community. About six years ago, I saw in the paper an article about a person who was Volunteer of the Year for the Tempe Police Department, and I thought that it was a great way to give back to my community. I think of volunteering as a job, and I am proud to tell people that I volunteer for the Chandler Police Department.
Q. What does receiving a Volunteer Recognition Award mean to you?
A. I’m very humbled to have received this award. I know there are other people who are equally worthy to receive this award. I actually thought it was a prank message at first.
Q. How do you spend your time outside of volunteering?
A. I have three adult children, and I love spending time with them. I love going to the movies, working out, relaxing at home and going to lunch or dinner. I also work on an as-needed basis for the Kyrene School District.