U.S. CORPORATIONS ANSWER THE CALL CELL PHONE DONATIONS AID VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE.

Byline: Donna Huffaker Staff Writer

Glendale police recently got an unexpected gift of cell phones and pagers to help protect victims of domestic abuse.

The donor: Verizon.

And Los Angeles police got cell phones so senior lead officers could stay in touch with neighborhood groups and residents.

Motorola donated them.

These are among the ways corporate America has begun to look beyond profits to how it can help the community.

``Quite often, these acts of benevolence result in things that are not part of the normal budget for the department. We're not in the business of soliciting but when these companies come to us and offer services, we are certainly appreciative,'' said Los Angeles police Lt. Horace Frank.

For their part, corporations insist giving is more than public relations.

``These companies are part of the community and they feel a commitment to those communities,'' said Jennifer Weyrauch, spokeswoman for Illinois-based Motorola Corp.

As part of the Call to Protect program, launched by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, people donate cell phones, Motorola refurbishes them, and then sends them out to domestic violence shelters.

And carriers, like Verizon, provide the service, Weyrauch said. Phones that go to shelter victims are programmed to dial 911 in one step, she added.

In fact, this past week in Chicago, she said, Motorola recognized the Illinois Conference of Legislative Women for donating 4,000 cell phones last July. Including those phones, Motorola has received and refurbished 79,000 some phones since the program began four years ago.

``This has really expanded over the years, probably to more people than anyone first thought,'' she said.

Other Motorola programs include giving phones to students, to Neighborhood Watch groups and to community police officers on patrol.

At the Los Angeles Police Department, senior lead officers have a direct link to members of the community, thanks to 233 donated cell phones, voice mail and free service from AT&T Wireless, Ericsson Mobile Phones and the Wireless Foundation, a part of the cell phone industry group.

Earlier this year in Glendale, Verizon donated 10 cell phones that connected domestic violence victims directly to the Glendale Police Department.

The company subsequently donated pagers, which allow law enforcement to provide follow-up services to the women, as well as helping ensure their safety, said Sgt. Kim Lardie of the department's assaults unit.

``Victims of domestic violence often flee with only the clothes they are wearing.

``It can become necessary for these individuals to sever ties with friends and family in order to protect themselves from further harm. With phones and pagers, they know when we're calling and they know how to get in touch with us,'' Lardie said.

Also, she said, the lifeline to the department helps the victims to cooperate more, which leads to more arrests and convictions.

Glendale also received five digital cameras last month, funded by the Violence Against Women Act grant program. Photographs are especially helpful in sexual assault and domestic violence investigations, Lardie said.