The Village of Mineola is blessed to have such dedicated volunteer organizations. The Mineola Fire Department is always there in an emergency or a community event or crisis; the Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps is always on call with its quick response times to help community members in their most serious moments of need. Then there is the Mineola Auxiliary Police Department. The department often goes unnoticed whether it is helping control traffic and safety and parades and village functions or patrolling the streets of Mineola in the evening. But the members of the MAPD, although dwindling in number, remain dedicated to their cause, which is making Mineola safer, a tradition that started in 1941.

While members of the Mineola Auxiliary Police program have put it numerous hours without pay in service to the village, the program does have some benefits for members. Even though members do not receive the property tax exemption that the members of the fire department and ambulance corps do, auxiliary police officers do receive training which can be useful in their careers.

Members, in fact, often leave to pursue career opportunities in law enforcement. "It's great to see them advance, but it hurts our local effort," explains longtime Mineola Auxiliary Police Chief Mike Spae.

One reason that auxiliary police departments have trouble recruiting members could be because they aren't as clearly defined as fire and medical personnel departments. Therefore, some incentives such as tax breaks and educational program benefits may not necessarily be offered to auxiliary police.

Chief Spae said he has been trying to work with county and state officials in trying to get the language that defines auxiliary police departments more closely defined.

"We're attempting to correct that with the assistance of Assemblywoman Maureen O'Connell and Senator Michael Balboni to define this language and get a definition so when there is a benefit available, it's a benefit for all three of the public service volunteers," said Chief Spae.

The members who the auxiliary police do have deserve the credit for giving their time without much of an incentive other than the desire to help the community.

"We're very fortunate to have dedicated and devoted people," Chief Spae said.

The chief only hopes there will be more dedicated and devoted members. The Mineola Auxiliary Police Department is currently comprised of nine members. The chief said a solid operating number would be 20 or 30 members. The department is currently undergoing a membership drive to try to get more members.

"After the tragic events of September 11, I thought volunteers would be knocking down the doors. There was the opposite effect," said the chief.

It takes a special breed of person to come through the doors of Mineola's volunteer organizations' headquarters and put in the time it takes to serve their community.

In the case of the Mineola Auxiliary Police Department, the department, as a whole, puts in approximately 5,500 hours of service to the community, which includes daily patrols, service in justice court and special events such as parades.

Chief Spae thanked the village's elected officials for making it possible to continue the auxiliary police program. It is a program that often goes unnoticed. "We're the silent supporters," said Chief Spae.

Members can join as young as 18 years old, but must be 21 years old for street patrols.

Patrols are done by a daily schedule, which reflects the times that members are available. However, members must put in one night a week.

Acting as the eyes and ears for the community, patrols are done throughout the village, as auxiliary police officers check on various locations including the schools within the Mineola School District.

During patrols, if auxiliary police officers encounter problems that cannot be handled, the Nassau County Police Department is called. Chief Spae said Mineola Auxiliary Police has had a good working relationship with the Nassau County Third Precinct over many years. However, the auxiliary police may attempt to handle situations in which individuals may be in violation of village ordinances or park curfews or nuisances.

In addition to patrols and setting up an orderly system of traffic and pedestrian safety for virtually all of Mineola's events, the auxiliary police have also been trying to raise awareness for safety by distributing helpful coloring books that promote the education of safety, school and Halloween bags, rulers that urge people to say no to alcohol, tobacco and drugs, as well as information pamphlets.

Having people patrolling neighborhoods is still a valuable asset to a community. The department hopes others will join their quest of making Mineola a safer place to live. Anyone interested in becoming a member can call 746-2448 or can drop by the Mineola Auxiliary Police headquarters, located at 300 Garfield Avenue or can call village hall at 746-0750 or can visit the website at www.mapdliny.com.