CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Charleston Police Department unveiled a new program Wednesday that it believes can help reduce crime on Charleston’s West Side and revitalize the community.
It’s called ‘Project West Invest’ and it will involve 10 police officers who will move into existing houses on the West Side and then rehabilitate them while at the same time becoming active in the community.
“We have some great people in our department that will be great in the neighborhood,” Cpl. Errol Randle said. “Great assets in the neighborhood to be the eyes and ears and to be the examples.”
The program has three goals including create safe neighborhoods, revitalizing single family homes and renewing community policing efforts.
Under the program, The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority will split the purchase price of the existing houses for the officers with the agreement that the officers themselves will rehabilitate them. If the officers stay in the neighborhood for 10 years the officers will have clear ownership of the home.
Cpl. Randle said the program will be an aid to many West Side residents who have been working toward improvement.
“It’s not like we’re going in as saviors of the West Side. What we’re going in to do is to help those people that are going to make that change,” Cpl. Randle said. “Those people are already there. There are some great people there that need some tools that will help them be successful.”
Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster said each officer will be allowed to have a cruiser parked at his house as part of the program.