COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With the budget crunch in 2009, the Columbus Division of Police is trying to find a way to save money and cut costs.
One new way may be using an old program that dates back to the 1950s, NBC 4's Tanya Hutchins reported.
Capt. Becky Kienzel is a police reserve officer. Her badge is a little different than the regular police badge, but many of her duties are the same.
"I've drawn my gun on duty. Everything a regular officer does, I do. I ride along just like a second man in the car," Kienzel said.
A single Columbus police officer costs the city $55,000 to $60,000 per year with benefits. All 46 current reserve officers are volunteers.
"Obviously, they help us tremendously by volunteering their time with no return paycheck. Whether they come out supplement us on the street, it helps us enormously. We're spreading our own employees further," said Columbus police Commander Kim Jacobs.
The challenge is the cost of training. The state requires 600 hours but Columbus requires 1,000 hours. That means overtime -- unless they go somewhere else.
"They can go through an OPATA class or they can take a class at Columbus State (Community College), but for Columbus police, you have to go through the Columbus Police Academy," Kienzel said.
Finding the training money may save the division salary funds in the long run.
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