Cops Program Asks Businesses For Help

Tue., Nov. 14, 1995

By Bonnie Harris bonnieh@spokesman.com

Spokane’s community policing volunteers are looking for business sponsors so they don’t have to rely on the city’s general fund to keep the program running.

The idea is intended to save tax money, about $90,000 next year, and it comes as City Council members wrestle with a badly bruised budget.

“The city has a problem,” said COPS coordinator Cheryl Steele, who helped devise the plan. “If we can reduce our debt by $90,000, we should do it.”

The COPS program cost about $60,000 this year. That money helped pay for Steele’s salary, one other staff member and operation costs for the city’s seven neighborhood police substations. Steele said she’ll need at least $100,000 next year because six more substations will open.

She noted that businesses already have been donating to the program. Recently, US West gave more than $10,000 worth of office supplies and furniture to two North Side substations. Sabey Corp., which manages NorthTown Mall, pitched in $5,000 to its neighborhood substation.

“We’ve had very positive feedback from businesses on this,” Steele said. “Community policing in this city is truly owned by the community. By getting (corporate) sponsors to fill in the gaps, you have a true private-public partnership.”

Spokane responded to a rising crime rate several years ago by embracing the community policing philosophy. Neighborhood substations started popping up, where residents take police reports and officers visit on regular patrols. Social services and other programs for residents were launched from the stations.

The new proposal also would save more money by bringing Block Watch and Spokane COPS together in one office. The two programs duplicate many community services already.

For example, both programs hold neighborhood forums throughout the year, when they talk to residents about crime and setting up Block Watch homes.

If they merged, the number of forums would be reduced from 18 to eight, saving the city nearly $10,000, said Debbie Davis, executive director for Block Watch.

Steele said she hopes Block Watch, which has a $200,000 annual budget, eventually will be able to rely solely on corporate sponsorships for funding. Next year, about $30,000 will be cut from the neighborhood program.

The City Council will vote on the proposal in December.

, DataTimes

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