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The West Side of town will see an increased presence of police officers on foot patrol starting next week as the department prepares for its new Springwood Avenue satellite headquarters.

The police will set up shop in the new Springwood Center as soon as the building’s locks are changed, Chief Mark Kinmon said today. This should be done by next week, but additional foot patrols will begin at that time either way.

The increase in foot patrols is being funded through an agreement with the school district, Kinmon said. The department will use seasonal special officers who worked at the beach and boardwalk to fill the new positions, as officers who are new to the department would likely be unable to complete training before next spring.

Also, at the Springwood Center, an officer will be on duty at all times during the day and most evenings, Kinmon said. Officers will report to Springwood to handle reports and be briefed, he added.

Kinmon hopes the higher presence of uniformed officers on the west side will “help to build trust” between police officers and the community.

The chief was unaware of how many extra special officers would be on duty at a given time, as the schedule has not yet been determined. In total, six to 10 special officers will be assigned to walking duty. The city employs 10 year round special officers, with an extra 15 specials performing seasonal duties.

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