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Thursday, October 19, 2000

Police funding is OK'd
Crime district to help pay for substations
By Mary Moreno
Caller-Times

Police Chief Pete Alvarez's plan for opening four police substations came closer to reality Wednesday when the Crime Control and Prevention District agreed to pay startup costs for two of the stations.
   But the funding - $124,541 - is contingent on the City Council agreeing to pay for the recurring operational costs of the substations.
   City Manager David Garcia said he is confident the council will approve the $165,995.77 request made by Alvarez to fund operating costs of the substations in Flour Bluff and west Corpus Christi.
   "This is a priority," he said. "This has always been a priority with the council."
   But Councilman Henry Garrett expressed doubts that the council can find the money in its current budget.
   "I don't know where in the world the money would come from," he said. "Substations are a good idea, but we have to make sure we have the money to pay for them."
   Cmdr. Brian Smith presented the chief's plan to the crime district board during its monthly meeting, stressing the plan's role in furthering community policing. He said the department has adopted the philosophy of community policing and now needs to implement it.
   Smith said funding the startup costs would serve the board's image favorably and would make it an indispensable part of the police department.
   "Without your help, these buildings will not exist," he told the board members. "With your help, we'll provide Corpus Christi with something they're never seen before."
   Alvarez wants to open substations at the recently abandoned Flour Bluff Branch Library and an unoccupied AEP-Central Power and Light building in the 3700 block of Port Avenue before the end of the year. His long range plans include substations on Hearn Road in the Five Points area and at the intersection of Holly and Everhart.
   Alvarez said negotiations with AEP-CPL are ongoing for use of the Port Avenue building. The proposal presented to the board listed the rental cost of the building at $41,013 for one year.
   Substations will provide communities with better access to police, Smith said.
   "We have established the need for the police to meld with the community," Smith said. "The way we see this working the best... is to establish substations."
   The board members said they were in favor of police substations, but had reservations about funding the project when they still haven't found the funds for 10 officers the board promised.
   "I support the concept, but we're not doing something else we said we'd do," said board member Linda Bridges.
   Board Chairman Leon Loeb said he is concerned that staffing substations with an officer 24 hours a day isn't as effective as having the officer on the street.
   Also at Wednesday's meeting, the board approved $9,302 to install lights in the community-built Gypsy Park at Padre Island.



Staff writer Mary Moreno can be reached at 886-3774 or by e-mail at morenom@caller.com

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