The Greenbelt Police Department sponsors a citizen-based Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), whose members provide support to the department by performing non-law enforcement duties. Lisa Hegwood and Laura Kressler represented CERT before the city council at its April 5 budget worksession. Under Special Programs, the Police Department proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2018 includes $1,500 for the CERT program. Kressler told council that the amount requested was the same as for the current year and that the program will spend $1,341. Captain Tom Moreland is the police liaison officer for CERT. Kressler and Debbie Cooley undertook 174 hours of CERT training.
In response to a question, Kressler said that CERT does not obtain outside funding. Mayor Emmett Jordan suggested it consider seeking a grant from the Greenbelt Community Foundation. CERT membership is open to all interested city residents, but has drawn predominantly from Old Greenbelt. Hegwood and Kressler would like to see more members from other parts of the community. Councilmember Edward Putens suggested that CERT set up tables at the city’s various National Night Out gatherings. Councilmember Konrad Herling offered some names to contact who might help them find new members. The two major city events for which CERT assists the police by helping direct traffic are the Independence Day Fireworks and the Labor Day Festival. For the latter, 12 members provided assistance
