GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — The Gwinnett County Police Department is introducing a new civilian unit aimed at handling non-emergency calls, a move designed to improve efficiency and free up sworn officers for urgent and high-priority incidents.
The new Community Service Aide program will consist of non-sworn employees who will respond to low-priority incidents. The department is currently hiring for six positions but has plans to expand the program in the future. Gwinnett now joins other metro Atlanta police departments, including Marietta and Dunwoody, that have implemented similar initiatives.
According to Police Chief J.D. McClure, the program is not only about improving response times but also serves as a recruitment pipeline for future officers. “This is also a good opportunity for us to get young people in the door, to introduce them to our culture here at Gwinnett Police, and eventually, potentially have them come on as police officers at a later time,” McClure told Channel 2 Action News.
McClure noted that the program is modeled after successful initiatives in other departments, such as the Marietta Police Department. “We talked to several agencies, and Marietta police being one that has a successful program going on,” he said. “The feedback we get is positive.”
Gwinnett County is currently accepting applications for the Community Service Aide positions until March 18. The program is expected to launch in late fall.
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