bishop police

 

Bishop Police Chief Rick Standridge has realized filling openings in the department isn’t as easy as it may look. After all, who wouldn’t want to live in the Eastern Sierra?

Living here isn’t the issue, Standridge explained at last week’s Bishop City Council meeting. What is? There’s competition from larger agencies for a shrinking pool of experienced law enforcement personnel. And then there’s housing and the cost of what little is currently available on the East Side.

Standridge’s solution is to grow his own, starting with his request to Council for a Community Service Officer position. The job is a non-sworn position and, once filled, the CSO would go through Peace Officer’s Standards and Training (POST). In a nutshell: the CSO, a non-sworn position, would free-up sworn officers for more pressing tasks.

The Department’s example of duties include the following:

  • Patrols the city, assisting motorists or citizens, vehicle and city ordinance citations, parking enforcement

  • Takes reports helps with collection of evidentiary material, makes referrals to community resources

  • Investigates assigned cases

  • Books, searches and photographs prisoners

  • Testifies in court on chain of evidence matters

  • Performs central reception duties

The request and related costs will be considered during the next budget cycle.

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