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Citizens Advisory Committee urges more outreach as subcommittee highlights vacancies
Summary
Members of Lowell's Citizens Advisory Committee described outreach efforts and called for more volunteer recruitment after the committee reported four vacancies; councilors and the police chief encouraged joint appearances at community events to build trust.
The Lowell City Public Safety Subcommittee heard a presentation from the Citizens Advisory Committee on June 16, 2026, as members described outreach efforts and sought help filling open seats.
George Prokop, chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee, told the subcommittee the panel serves as a conduit between neighborhoods, churches and the Lowell Police Department and stressed that the group is advisory rather than supervisory. "We outreach to the community, to our neighborhoods, to our churches," Prokop said, adding that committee members try to "let people feel at ease" and to reduce an "us versus them" dynamic between residents and police.
Prokop said the CAC uses recurring events such as coffee-with-a-cop meetings, toy drives and neighborhood crime-report briefings to engage residents. He encouraged the council and police to promote a variety of low-burden activities to attract more volunteers, including back-to-school events and park programming, and suggested athletic events as additional outreach options.
Chief Hudon praised the committee's work and its partnerships with local schools and Middlesex Community College, noting that officers and faculty have hosted tours and classroom visits to encourage student applicants. The committee reported nine seats with four vacancies; Chief Hudon said department outreach has been strong but that officials have not yet found the right student applicants to fill those openings.
Councilor Scott commended the department and the CAC for their community work and encouraged continued collaboration, saying the visible presence of advisory members alongside officers can reassure residents. The subcommittee agreed the CAC should be invited to department events so residents see the partnership in action.
The presentation closed with councilors thanking CAC members for their service and noting continued recruitment as a priority. The subcommittee then moved to a petition about a police-involved crash for general informational discussion.
