City Oks Grant For Community Policing

Tue., June 2, 1998

The Spokane City Council on Monday accepted a $1 million federal grant for its community-oriented policing program.

Spokane was one of 21 cities nationwide chosen by the U.S. Department of Justice for the federal dollars.

The Police Department plans to use the money to start a planning and research unit that will evaluate the community policing program’s efficiency and effectiveness.

The department also plans to spend $20,000 of the grant on a contract with Spokane COPS, the nonprofit group that oversees neighborhood policing substations. Spokane COPS will use the money to play host to other police departments starting their own community policing programs.

While the federal money is billed as a one-year grant, the city plans to spread the money over two years. If they can find the dollars, officials hope to make the unit a permanent part of the police department.

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