By Marty Sauerzopf, The Arizona Republic
AVONDALE, Arizona - City police officers soon won’t be spending so much time driving jail inmates from their cells to the municipal courthouse.
The city this week received a $117,000 grant from the Gila River Indian Community to pay for a Video Initial Appearance System that will eliminate the need to transport inmates to court.
With the new system, inmates can appear on video beamed from the Western Avenue jail to a judge at City Court on Avondale Boulevard.
Installing the system means officers can spend more time on the streets instead of transporting inmates.
“We felt it was a very worthy cause and something we felt was good to assist the city of Avondale to help improve their public safety,” said Richard Narcia, governor of the Gila River Indian Community.
The grant funds come from gaming revenues.
Avondale Police Chief Kevin Kotsur said the video system will be installed as part of a renovation of the Western Avenue police substation and jail. The work should be completed in about eight months.
“This will save travel time between the city jail and the court,” Kotsur said.
Detention Sgt. William Studebaker said transportation demands often require patrol officers to leave their regular beats to drive inmates. He added that the new system will save roughly one or two hours a day.
“Over 365 days a year, that’s quite a bit of time you’re returning patrol officers to the street,” he said.