THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 10, 1996 TAG: 9607100344
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONI WHITT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 70 lines
After struggling with a crime problem that peaked last year, the City Council Tuesday unanimously approved more than $500,000 in grants that are designed to fight crime, expand the police force and help victims and witnesses.
One grant will put four more police officers on the street. The U.S. Department of Justice awarded the city nearly $110,000 to help hire four people for administrative duties, moving officers from behind desks to a beat. The council agreed to spend about $36,200 on those four positions in matching grant funds.
Police Chief Dennis Mook said the four officers will be added to the city's neighborhood patrol program, what he described as ``the cornerstone of the police department.''
``We're trying to redirect our resources and put them where they're needed,'' Mook said Tuesday. ``This will give us a chance to put more officers on the street. Some positions simply don't need police officers in them.''
Two other grants, for nearly $160,000, were for a criminal corrections program that serves non-violent offenders and people found guilty of misdemeanors. The program is aimed at providing counseling and education. It also provides for in-house arrest rather than sending non-violent offenders to the city jail, which is already overcrowded.
Capt. H.L. Fremd II said the program is aimed at giving more control to local law enforcement. Counseling includes anger management training and substance abuse treatment.
A portion of the grant is also used to get juvenile offenders into community service work.
More than $16,000 will be used to purchase equipment, including computers, for the program.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's office also received two grants - one aimed at funding personnel to investigate and prosecute drug cases.
The Commonwealth's Attorney received nearly $87,000, with another $29,000 from the city to hire a prosecutor, a police officer and a secretary dedicated to drug cases.
``These grants help us to implement our goals,'' said Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney Martin Bullock.
``Drugs help feed the violence in this city.''
The second program, which has been in Portsmouth since 1976, is to assist crime victims and witnesses. The grant funds are used to help pay victims' medical expenses and lost wages, help protect witnesses, and even help pay for transportation to and from court. ILLUSTRATION: [Box]
SAMPLE GRANTS
Some grants aimed at fighting crime in Portsmouth:
Intensified Drug Enforcement Assistance
$115,855 to hire a full-time prosecutor, police officer and
secretary to investigate and prosecute drug cases. City provides
$28,964.
Victim-Witness Program
$98,692 for victim and witness services. City provides $9,869.
Portsmouth Criminal Corrections Program
$142,481 for counseling, education, community service work and
house arrest supervision. No city match required.
Portsmouth Criminal Corrections Program
$16,400 to purchase equipment. No city match required.
COPS MORE
$144,804 to subsidize hiring personnel for administrative
positions in the police department, allowing four sworn officers to
be taken out of the office and to help expand the neighborhood
policing program. City's portion - $36,201.
KEYWORDS: GRANTS PORTSMOUTH POLICE CRIME by CNB