Wash. Communities Consider Hiring Own Police Force
April 06--CASHMERE -- Rising costs of contracting with Chelan County for law enforcement services is prompting Cashmere and Leavenworth to consider alternatives. One might be hiring a new and separate police force to handle crime in both cities.
"Everything is on the table," said Mayor Jeff Gomes of Cashmere. "We don't want to jeopardize the good relationship we've had with the sheriff's office but it's gotten to the point where we have no choice except looking at options."
This month, officials from each city agreed to spend up to $2,000 to hire a consultant to look at the situation.
"It will be an overview, not something highly detailed," Gomes said.
Leavenworth experienced a 7 percent jump in 2012 for police service costs. With $53,000 in RiverCom fees, it amounts to a 17 percent increase, to about $478,000, said Joel Walinski, the city's administrator.
In Cashmere, the 2012 contract came with a 21 percent rise, to $464,500, with $40,000 in RiverCom fees, said Bob Schmidt, Cashmere's director of operations,
County officials have said their costs keep rising and, to make ends meet, they have to pass costs on to the cities that contract with the county. In addition to Leavenworth and Cashmere, those cities are Chelan and Entiat.
In Cashmere, Gomes said, city officials had to eliminate a full-time mechanic to pay for the law enforcement cost increases.
Leavenworth mayor Cheri Farivar could not be reached for comment.
Gomes said both he and Farivar think their cities are getting rural patrols, not the urban patrols that they want.
"There is no presence in the downtown blocks, and they don't walk the street and meet the merchants," he said. "There is no one in the schools."
If establishing a new police force is not feasible, Gomes said, the hiring of a consultant could still help the city negotiate future contracts with the county.
"I don't feel like we have much input in the contract itself, and we've never had expertise on our side at the table for the negotiating," he said.
Dee Riggs: 664-7147
Copyright 2012 - The Wenatchee World, Wash.