Police Week: Holloman's Community Police

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Emily A. Kenney
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  "To me, Police Week is about every man and woman who's ever worn the badge and donned their daily gear knowing very well that it could be their last shift," said Senior Airman Christopher D. Cervini, 49th Security Forces Squadron non-commissioned officer in charge of Community Police. "Specifically, to me, it's a reminder of the brothers and sisters in arms we've lost in the line of duty, especially our 10 fallen Defenders from the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom."

Cervini is one of five members of the Community Policing Team at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.

The main objective of Community Policing is to ensure the safety of children at the on-base schools, maintain positive relationships with members of the local community.

"We are involved with the schools on a daily basis," he said. "We conduct walkthroughs to ensure security, and we interact with the students to create a positive relationship between staff, students and Security Forces as a whole. We are also responsible for attending community events and maintaining involvement as safety representatives for our unit."

Not only do these officers patrol the on-base schools, they also inform Holloman's newcomers on base-wide policies and emergency procedures.

"We have numerous handouts that cover topics such as anti-bullying, internet safety, pedestrian safety and bike safety," he said. "We also provide a briefing to all new members of Holloman during Holloman In-Processing on active shooter procedures and common base regulations such as traffic, the 100 percent ID policy and those regarding privately owned weapons."

Cervini, a native of Naperville, Ill., said one of his favorite parts of his job is being directly involved with the community.

"I'd have to say my favorite part of the job is knowing that we are having a positive impact on the children of this installation and creating a positive image for Security Forces," he said.

Cervini has been a part of the unit since 2014 and said one of his favorite memories was when his team ran the mile with the kids from Holloman Elementary School. The Community Policing team ran the mile six times during physical education class that day.

"The reason I enjoyed that so much was because both students and staff really started to understand the commitment our section had to the job," he said. "It opened a lot of doors for mentorship with the students because they realized we weren't just there to walk through the building on a security check and leave, but that we were there for whatever they needed."

Overall, Cervini said the Community Policing team helps alleviate some of the stress and work that is tasked to the Security Forces operations section by offering a unique and specific capability that once did not exist.

"Given all the stories that are in the media, it's nice to work to create a positive image for police and build a strong foundation of trust and support between us and the community," he said.