NCJ Number
116246
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1989) Pages: 57-60
Date Published
1989
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the duties of Community Service Officers in various communities in California.
Abstract
Community Service Officers (CSO) handle nonthreatening task of police work which allows trained officers the freedom to handle calls requiring their expertise. CSOs in Riverside County (California) have increased their responsibilities from record-keeping and dispatching to enforcing city and parking codes, writing citations for violations, and patrolling the city. Fresno (California) initiated the CSO program as a budgetary measure. CSOs must pass a written examination, be at least 21 years of age, and receive 80 hours of training. Their duties include investigating noninjury accidents and nonemergency and nonviolent calls, conducting crime analysis, and conducting public presentations. In Riverside, duties of the police Service Representatives include accident investigation, parking control, field reports, and public education. Santa Ana utilizes CSOs in primarily community service programs related to crime prevention, such as home security inspections, seminars, and police displays at malls. In Cathedral City, the position of Police Service Aide attracts young people beginning their careers and they are authorized to impound abandoned vehicles and issue citations. It has been shown that the use of these officers ensures a better level of law enforcement for the community served.