In many of my past columns I have written about and acknowledged some of the great volunteer organizations that serve our community, including the fire department, Beautification Committee and Farmingdale Community Summit, just to name a few. As an elected official, I am even more aware now of how the dedicated members of the many organizations in our area give unselfishly of themselves to help make our village and community a better place to live.

Another such organization that is also staffed by volunteers is our Nassau County Auxiliary Police. This group of community-minded residents provide an invaluable service to our area. The Auxiliary Police is a recognized arm of the Nassau County Police Department. They patrol in marked vehicles helping to make our community a safer place. They help prevent criminal activity by being an extra set of eyes and ears for the Police Department. They direct traffic at parades and special events and serve during disasters and other emergencies. The presence of the Auxiliary Police, in uniform, on patrol in marked police units, has been proven to reduce vandalism and other crimes in the community. I can tell you that our annual parades and fairs would not be the same if we did not have these dedicated auxiliary officers.

Much of their work goes unnoticed as they are frequently mistaken for police officers. The eight volunteers who make up the Farmingdale Unit logged over 900 hours in 2004. If you are looking for a way to assist your community and want more information, please stop in at Village Hall and pick up one of their brochures which details the requirements to become a member or call Inspector Joann Edling at 522-5373.