As Wildwood continues its unprecedented growth, the city’s police department is adapting to the changes.
For Villagers, the most visible adaptation is probably the Wildwood Police Department substation at Brownwood Paddock Square.
“We created a zone specifically for The Villages area,” said Capt. Paul Valentino.
The Brownwood substation, located next to the Barnstorm Theater, is manned by a combination of Wildwood police officers and about a dozen Villages volunteers.
Wildwood covers a 42-mile square area which includes the Florida Turnpike and state roads. Each day, 80,000 vehicles pass through Wildwood, Valentino said.
With Wildwood facing so much change, the police force has had to adapt. Under Police Chief E.W. Reeser, the department calls on its officer to use more than just crime prevention skills.
Officers are armed with resource books so that if they are called to a situation that isn’t necessarily deemed a crime, they might offer alternative solutions. Perhaps, the officer can steer those involved to an agency or civic organization that can lend a hand, Valentino said.
“We don’t want to shrug our shoulders and walk away. We want to help offer solutions,” he said.
Want to get involved? The Wildwood Police Department is looking for Villages volunteers for its Brownwood substation.
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