GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - Parking enforcement in Grand Rapids is being turned over from officers to civilian employees.
The move will start July 1 and is designed to free up officers for calls for service and duties requiring their police powers, city officials said Thursday.
Parking calls to the Grand Rapids police communications center also will transition to civilian employees.
The initiative aligns with recommendations from a 2019 staffing and deployment report commissioned by the city and meets priorities highlighted in both the police department’s and the city’s strategic plans.
“This is another incremental step in our journey to reimaging policing in Grand Rapids and frees our officers to concentrate more on neighborhood policing strategies,” Police Chief Eric Payne said.
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