The Ripon Police Department in partnership with the Ripon Ministerial Association offers the Community Assistance Voucher Program.
The primary goal of the voucher program is to assist those in need of temporary assistance. Through this program, officers can use discretion to issue emergency shelter, transportation, food and gas vouchers to persons in need. A majority of the vouchers issued through this program are for food and/or gas, followed by temporary shelter, and then lastly transportation. The funds to operate this program are gathered through donations from Ripon residents and local service organizations.
Vouchers should be used to facilitate ongoing travel to a final destination or to mitigate an emergency situation. Generally speaking, those truly in temporary need should not be in a position to use the voucher program more than once. Watch commander approval will be needed for any persons requesting a voucher beyond one instance.
When used to purchase transportation, staff must ensure there is a receiving party in the destination city that is able to provide ongoing assistance (if needed) or acceptance of reunification with the voucher recipient.