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Since Wendy Finley began training as community service officer in Oak Creek, she's had the chance to meet the residents, begin introducing herself and even write a couple of tickets.

"It's been really great. I like the people so far," she said as she continued her training with Oak Creek Police Department's sole officer, Eileen Rossi, on Thursday.

Finley, a former secretary at Steamboat Springs High School, moved to Routt County a little more than a year ago from the Front Range and started working in mid-August.

So far, Rossi has trained Finley on the town ordinances, the equipment writing warnings, violations and reports, and how to appear before the municipal judge.

The pair even held a mock trial with municipal judge Ralph Cantafio, Rossi said.

One thing she has naturally is a love for dogs, Finley said. Many of the complaints she will deal with involve dogs barking, running at large and biting.

Finley, who lives near Stagecoach, has five dogs of her own. Most of those, she said, she rescued from owners who did not want the dog any longer or who were abusing the dog.

Finley will patrol the town in a code enforcement vehicle with Town of Oak Creek emblems. There is no sign identifying the car as a police vehicle, and it is equipped to transport dogs with a holding area in the rear.

Finley was scheduled to ride with the Routt County Sheriff's Office animal control officer Saturday to learn the Steamboat Springs Animal Shelter procedures.

From Aug. 17 to Sept. 9, Finley and Rossi have issued 23 verbal warnings, two written warnings, 10 red-tag vehicle warnings and two summonses in Oak Creek. In 2008, 46 code violation summons were issued and processed. The two summonses this year are the only citations for 2009.

Rossi said the town operates on a "three-strikes" policy, at the discretion of the officer. People in violation of town codes generally are given one verbal warning and one written warning before they are summoned. For more egregious offenses, such as having a vicious dog, Rossi said the officer is likely to issue a summons on the first offense.

On Thursday night, the Oak Creek Town Board accepted Rossi's new contract. She will work 30 hours per week while she is in town and will work as needed when she is out of town. Rossi said she regularly goes to Arizona for the winters and that from there she will review Finley's paperwork via e-mail as needed.

Rossi said Finley has some training yet to go, including how to use the 800 mhz radio system to call for backup from the Sheriff's Office in case of emergencies and to inquire about the geography and road names for the area.

Finley also has written a letter introducing herself to the town that will go out with the month-end utility bills.