COSTA MESA

The City Council last week unanimously approved providing $12,250 in matching funds for a $222,772 Local Law Enforcement Block Grant. A police sergeant will be hired using $103,000 of the grant money, and software for mobile computers will be purchased with the remaining funding. Grant money is usually not used for personnel because grants don’t provide a long-term stable source of funding, but with 71% of patrol officers having fewer than four years’ experience, it is important to provide adequate field supervision, according to a staff report. The software will allow patrol officers to prepare reports from the field and reduce paperwork.