UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 26, Page 1
April 4, 1996
Federal grant boosts community policing

     University efforts to expand a Community Policing Project in the
Department of Public Safety have received a major boost with the award
of $150,000 over the next three years from the Department of Justice.
The funds will be used to add two additional officers to the current
program.
     The grant was made possible by the Violent Crime Control and Law
Enforcement Act of 1994, which has as a main objective placing 100,000
more police on the street. Attorney Gen. Janet Reno established the
Office of Community Policing Services (COPS) to speed up the ability
to hire new officers to participate in community policing.
     Bill Katorkas, professional standards manager in public safety,
said the funding will enable the University to add officers who will
work closely with those who live and work on campus.
     "Community policing," according to Lawrence Thornton, senior
associate director of public safety, "is similar to the 'cop-on-the-
beat' style that was the norm before the arrival of patrol cars."
     Police are assigned to a specific community area, Thornton
explained, and they become familiar with the residents and the
specific area's needs and problems.
     "In community policing," Thornton said, "police officers not only
address problems related to crime and traditional police work, they
help the residents of their area resolve other problems. Oftentimes,
the community police officer can serve as the person who makes
appropriate referrals and who can help the community work toward
resolution of a common problem."
     The University has had considerable success with its residence
hall community police program since early 1993, Katorkas said. "We've
had good comments from the students, residence life staff and
officers. This new grant will enable us to expand the program and
provide similar and expanded services to employees as well."
     According to Katorkas, it will be about a year before the two new
officers are on the job. After recruitment, new University police
attend 20-26 weeks of training conducted by the Delaware State Police
or New Castle County Police. This is followed by two months of on-
campus field training.
     When the new community police officers arrive, Katorkas said,
they will be assigned to work with and develop special programs for
employees. They will operate out of the central public safety offices.
     "Community policing," Katorkas explained, "is a combination of
crime prevention, problem solving and community involvement, and it
demands a lot of flexibility."
     He said this is the first federal law enforcement grant the
University has received.
     "With this grant," he said, "we will be able to provide a special
range of services for the campus and, as a result, improve our overall
service. Now, we'll be able to specifically designate staff to provide
service-oriented programs to the campus community."
                                                         -Ed Okonowicz