THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 27, 1995 TAG: 9507270371
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
Three Hampton Roads cities will receive more than half a million dollars in federal funds to bolster their police forces and to put more police on the streets, Attorney General Janet Reno announced Wednesday.
``Congress made a commitment last year to reinforce our nation's front-line defenses against crime,'' Sen. Charles S. Robb (D-Va.) said as the grants were announced. ``Local police officers represent that front line.''
A half-dozen Virginia localities will receive more than $1.1 million of the $43.4 million awarded Thursday to 84 jurisdictions around the country. Much of the money will be used to hire civilians to take over administrative duties now handled by police. That will free the police to handle more essential work.
In Hampton Roads, grants went to:
Chesapeake - $129,662 to hire six civilians to take over duties handled by six officers.
Norfolk - $375,348 to hire 16 civilians to take over duties now handled by 17 officers and to pay police overtime.
Virginia Beach - $60,125 to redeploy six police officers and to install new technology for community policing.
The program is part of the Clinton administration's efforts to put 100,000 more police on the nation's streets. Thus far, more than $1 billion has been provided to put 20,000 more officers on the streets, the Justice Department said.
KEYWORDS: POLICE OFFICER by CNB