Chick Seeks Return of LAPD Student Force

Councilwoman Laura Chick has introduced a motion to explore the possibility of reestablishing the LAPD’s Police Student Worker program for college students interested in law enforcement careers.

The program, which began in 1967 and was ended in 1983 due to budget cuts, served as a means of recruiting college-educated candidates for the police force, said Chick, who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee.

“The LAPD faces formidable costs in recruiting and training new officers as well as considerable challenges in recruiting local men and women,” Chick said.

“As we continue to hire officers, the program would supply a consistent source of college-educated candidates with law enforcement experience, saving the department significant time and money.”

Students enrolled in the previous Police Student Worker program analyzed field reports, processed jail records and took fingerprints of arrestees, Chick said.

Students also learned about specific department operations and broader law enforcement procedures.

The college-level program, Chick said, would bridge the gap between a high school program offered through the Los Angeles Police Academy Magnet School and the department’s Police Academy.

Chick’s motion asks city staff to report to the Public Saftey Committee on the cost of establishing a new Police Student Worker program in fiscal 1998-99.

Additionally, the motion asks staff to determine whether federal funds earmarked for civilian staff positions could be used to pay for the program. The Public Safety Committee is expected to review the motion in the coming weeks, Chick said.