Mahkato
04-06-2011, 12:30 PM
An Arizona city partially civilian-izes their police force:
Arizona police force turns to civilian investigators (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12754776)
By Paul Adams BBC News, Mesa, Arizona
The city of Mesa in the US state of Arizona has turned over some police duties to a new team of civilian investigators. The BBC's Paul Adams says the programme is a law enforcement innovation - and policing on the cheap in an era of government cuts.
In the only programme of its kind anywhere in the United States, Mesa's nine civilian investigation specialists are handling work normally reserved for uniformed officers.
Plenty of other police departments employ civilians to handle DNA and fingerprint collection or perform clerical work, but nowhere do they perform the range of functions Mesa's unit has handled since its inception in 2009.
From crime scene processing to fraud investigations and a lot of patient hand-holding, the civilians appear to be making an impact.
'Cops hate change'
Sgt Fabian Cota, president of the Mesa Police Association Sgt Cota of the police union says the civilian investigators cannot replace uniformed officers
Last year, the unit handled about 50% of all burglary calls, the police department says.
..more.. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12754776)
Arizona police force turns to civilian investigators (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12754776)
By Paul Adams BBC News, Mesa, Arizona
The city of Mesa in the US state of Arizona has turned over some police duties to a new team of civilian investigators. The BBC's Paul Adams says the programme is a law enforcement innovation - and policing on the cheap in an era of government cuts.
In the only programme of its kind anywhere in the United States, Mesa's nine civilian investigation specialists are handling work normally reserved for uniformed officers.
Plenty of other police departments employ civilians to handle DNA and fingerprint collection or perform clerical work, but nowhere do they perform the range of functions Mesa's unit has handled since its inception in 2009.
From crime scene processing to fraud investigations and a lot of patient hand-holding, the civilians appear to be making an impact.
'Cops hate change'
Sgt Fabian Cota, president of the Mesa Police Association Sgt Cota of the police union says the civilian investigators cannot replace uniformed officers
Last year, the unit handled about 50% of all burglary calls, the police department says.
..more.. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12754776)