SPANISH FORT – New police positions being sought by Spanish Fort would provide more contact with the community and increase public safety and interaction between residents and law enforcement, city officials said.
The city is seeking a $250,000 grant through the U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program. The COPS program provides money to hire officers to interact with the public, freeing patrol police for other law enforcement duties, the city resolution said.
Police Chief John Barber said the community police officers can provide security at athletic activities, be liaisons with home-owners associations and be backups for school resource officers.
“Really, these quality of life issues that we’re looking at like abandoned vehicles, lights. They can also be a primary backup for SROs. Right now, our SROs do a really good job on making sure that they’re there when school’s in session, but if they have vacation that they have to take or if they call in sick, that could put a burden on patrol officers. These officers would be the primary backup to make sure that we’re always staffing our schools,” Barber told council members at the city workshop on June 7. “It’s a good opportunity. It’s something that we can’t guarantee that we will receive the grant, but this is a way for us to go forward with our relationship with the public.”
Under the terms of the grant, the city would provide at least 25 percent of the cost of adding the positions. The grant would provide $250,000. Spanish Fort’s cost for salary and benefits of the officers would be $117,811 about 32 percent of the total, according to city estimates.
Councilwoman Mary Brabner said the estimates also do not include the cost of vehicles and equipment that the city will have to pay.
Mayor Mike McMillan said the city is growing and additional officers will have to be added in the Police Department. He said the grant could pay part of the cost of some additional positions.
“It’s another effort to add to the health, safety and welfare of our city. I like the thought of interaction with the community – the neighborhoods, the ball parks, backups for SROs and everything that’s included with all that are all pluses to me,” McMillan said. “We’re a growing city. We know we’re going to have more officers down the line.”
He said the city will not learn if the grant application has been approved for at least six months. The mayor said that would give the city time to plan to include the positions in upcoming budgets if the grant is approved.
