The Riverton Police Department has received almost $300,000 from the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance to support a new Community Service Officer program.
Advertisements for two CSO positions will be posted soon, city administrator Kyle Butterfield told the Riverton City Council during a regular meeting Tuesday, explaining that the new officers will “help enforce our ordinances, help provide services, and support our (police) officers in the community.”
Mayor Tim Hancock expressed optimism about the new program, which he called the “brainchild” of RPD chief Eric Hurtado.
“I think it can definitely help to do things that will relieve some of the time that our officers are having to spend enforcing different laws,” Hancock said. “The idea behind it is to be able to have (CSOs) take time that officers normally can’t to be able to find assistance for folks. …
“I hope we get some people that are willing to apply.”
The description of the grant award on the BJA website notes that Riverton “is bordered by the seventh-largest Indian reservation in the country.”
“Riverton has the closest shopping and other opportunities for the area,” the description states. “The City of Riverton also intersects with two main highways with the next largest city’s population being more than 100 miles away. The geographic outlay of the area makes Riverton a frequent stopping point for low-income travelers.”
The description also notes that “Riverton has historically seen a large homeless population from both travelers as well as populations from the adjacent reservation.”
“The individuals and families who become displaced in the city are often targeted by criminals because many times they are not healthy enough to protect themselves,” the description states.
The RPD is working to fill its regular law enforcement positions as well, Butterfield told the council, with some applicants scheduled for testing and interviews on Friday.
“We hope that those are successful,” he said.
For more information, call the City of Riverton at 856-2227.