DeKalb County, GA — The DeKalb County Police Department on July 5 will deploy its first-ever community service aides to handle nonviolent police calls.

“The CSAs are non-sworn civilian personnel who will respond to identified lower priority, nonviolent calls for service,” a press release from the Police Department says. “The CSAs will be visibly different from sworn officers and can be identified by their unique neon uniforms and specialized vehicles, which identify them as Community Service Aides.”

The press release says the classification was “was created to allow the department to provide more personalized service to the community while allowing police officers to focus on higher priority and emergency calls that require sworn personnel.”

They will be dispatched by E911 and will respond to calls about stolen vehicles, vandalism, shoplifting, property damage, animal complaints, street hazards and motorist assistance.

“DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha Ramos plans to implement the new position countywide while continuing to find innovative ways to address the concerns of the community and provide the upmost service to DeKalb residents and businesses,” the press release says.

Ramos is also currently looking for another job. According to NPR’s Austin station, Ramos is among nearly four dozen candidates who have applied to be the police chief in Austin, Texas.

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