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City supports COPS grant application for three dedicated downtown officers to sustain problem‑solving and proactive policing
Summary
Police Chief presented a COPS grant application requesting three officers intended to provide sustained problem‑solving and proactive coverage in the downtown area; the Committee voted to support the application and accept grant funding to subsidize positions, with council discussion about sustainability and interagency cooperation.
The Grand Forks Police Department asked the Committee of the Whole to support a COPS Hiring Program grant application to subsidize three officers dedicated to downtown problem‑solving and proactive work.
Chief (presenter) described three policing strategies — reactive (calls for service), proactive (patrol and presence) and problem‑solving (longer‑term work with partners) — and said dedicated personnel are critical to sustain problem‑solving, build relationships with businesses and partners, and reduce repeat calls for service. The chief said the department has run a downtown task force and logged roughly 1,500 contacts during that focused period.
Council members and the chief discussed sustainability and staffing: the chief said the grant can subsidize personnel but acknowledged staffing and long‑term retention require broader recruitment and budgeting strategies. Council members pressed for clarity on how officers would be deployed, collaboration with neighboring law enforcement (county sheriff and university PD), and the need to measure outcomes rather than just visible presence.
A motion to support the COPS grant application and authorize submission was moved and seconded; the committee voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously. Council members asked the police department to provide follow‑up metrics and to continue interagency coordination as the program proceeds.
