Civilians In Support of Cops

The Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) will help communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provide for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. This competitive grant announcement focuses on initiatives in eight areas: 1) preventing and reducing violent crime through community-based data-driven approaches; 2) providing funding for neighborhood-based probation and parole officers; 3) reducing mortgage fraud and crime related to vacant properties; 4) hiring of civilian support personnel in law enforcement (training staff, analysts, dispatchers, etc.); 5) enhancing forensic and crime scene investigations; 6) improving resources and services for victims of crime; 7) supporting problem-solving courts; and 8) national training and technical assistance partnerships.

Under category 4, the city of Torrance, will use the FY 2009 Recovery Act Byrne Competitive funds to support the Torrance Police Department with the 'Civilians in Support of Cops' project. The funds will be used to hire two new, full-time, permanent civilian Services Officer positions in the Torrance Police Department. These two positions will be assigned to the Court Detail and the Training Section. The new Services Officers will assume responsibilities that are currently held by sworn Police Officers. Hiring the two civilian Services Officers will enable two sworn Police Officers to be reassigned to field operations, permitting them to focus on reducing and preventing crime. The two new civilian services officers will be fully trained to assume the duties and responsibilities of the general assignments in their job classification, in addition to being trained for specialized assignments in the Court Detail and Training Section.

CA/NCF