Detroit - Police Chief Ralph Godbee on Thursday outlined his plan to put more than 100 additional officers on the street by moving to "virtual precincts."
Under the new system, residents will be able to use a Telephone Crime Reporting Unit for nonemergency calls.
The unit will be staffed in part by officers who are on restricted duty, Godbee said.
"The ... goal is to have more police officers patrolling the city of Detroit," he said Thursday at a news conference at the Northeastern District, where the program will be run on a pilot basis for the next 30 days. Citywide implementation will begin Feb. 6.
Godbee stressed all precincts will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week but reports for nonemergency situations will not be taken by an officer during off hours. He told Fox 2's "Let it Rip" Thursday night that the precincts will still be safe havens for residents.
Initially, a bank of phones has been set up inside the Northeastern District residents can use to report crime.
Godbee said he hopes the program will redeploy between 100 and 150 officers to patrols.
"This is significant," he said. "We're doing this without adding one penny to the budget."
The department has 2,731 sworn police officers, down from 4,001 in 2002, according to figures released Thursday evening.
Barbra Poteet, who lives near the Northeastern District office, said she was worried about plans to reduce services there.
"We need the police to be doing more," she said. "Crime is getting worse."
Poteet, 62, said she had always been comforted by her proximity to the precinct at 5100 E. Nevada. Now that feeling of safety is gone.
"Where am I going to go at night?" she asked.
Godbee's news conference came a day after it was reported that about 100 Detroit police officers will receive layoff notices in two weeks - although the department believes it will eventually be able to keep those jobs.
According to union officials, money remains in two Department of Justice grants Detroit received this year and in 2009. Detroit hopes federal officials will allow it to use the money to retain positions.
If Detroit receives the grant variance, it could keep 75 officers for up to three years. Also, 25 positions scheduled for layoffs will be made up through attrition.
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Detroit News Staff Writer Francis X. Donnelly contributed.
"The ... goal is to have more police officers patrolling the city of Detroit."
Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee
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