Norfolk police to start new shifts

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Norfolk's police chief is trying something new to stop crime in the city. Chief Mike Goldsmith says starting in November, certain officers will work longer shifts with the goal of creating a stronger bond between the police department and the community.

The changes in shifts and placements is something the police department wants to try and analyze the results.

Goldsmith says the department plans to move people around to redistribute manpower in one of their patrol divisions. The division affected includes officers that work in Ghent, Park Place, around Old Dominion University and the naval bases.

The main change is officers will work 12 hour shifts. There will also be two officers in every patrol car and more bicycle officers on the streets. The goal is for officers to get to know the community and for residents to feel more comfortable with police and what they're trying to do.

"What we think we'll get out of it is a better distribution of manpower," said Goldsmith. "We'll free up some other manpower to do some community policing things. We hope this will work for us to deliver a better policing product for the community."

Goldsmith says they are going to look at officer fatigue during this time, as well as who is absent from work, or who needs to miss court dates. Goldsmith says he wants to make sure the new plan works on a small scale before it is implemented through out the department.

The new shifts will begin in November and will be evaluated for six months.