BURBANK : Plan Would Add 3 to Police Force

The Burbank City Council is scheduled to consider a proposal tonight to add three new officers to the Burbank Police Department, using money raised by confiscating the assets of drug dealers.

Burbank now has 146 police officers, nine below its authorized strength. Under federal law, money raised by drug asset forfeiture must be used for drug enforcement purposes and cannot be used to replace other money cut from police budgets. In accordance with that policy, the department would hire two officers for its gang detail and one officer for drug prevention programs, Burbank Police Chief David P. Newsham said in a report presented to the council.