CLARKSVILLE — Clarksville residents should soon see more police patrols in their neighborhoods thanks to a $250,000 grant awarded to the Clarksville Police Department.
The grant comes from the U.S. Justice Department's Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS. Clarksville Police Chief Mark Palmer said the money will be used to hire two officers, hopefully within the next two weeks.
"What we looked at [when applying for the grant] is developing a better line of communication with the public and bringing the officers back into the community," Palmer said.
Officers are often called to any of the businesses that populate the town, for incidents like shoplifting or security alarms.
"With such a large business district, it pulls officers form where they need to be which is patrolling," Palmer said.
Of around the 2,500 calls Clarksville responded to in a month's time, CPD Safety Director and Clarksville councilman Tim Hauber estimates around 75% of those calls were to businesses.
As safety director, Hauber supports and oversees the department's operations. Hauber said Clarksville usually utilizes seven to eight officers per shift. Two new officers would bring the force to 49 or 50 officers, he said. He and the department are always looking for ways to bring in more manpower.
CPD is the only Southern Indiana police agency to receive the grant, Palmer said. Unlike other agencies that applied for specific issues, such as drug activity, CPD applied based on the need for community engagement.
"This is an ongoing process showing our transparency and putting the officers back in the neighborhoods," Palmer said.
The grant will cover 70% of the cost of the new officers' salaries for a three-year period. The remaining 30% will be covered by the town, Palmer said.