Thursday, March 28, 2024

Don't unincorperate

Posted

First negotiating a new contract be it for police services or for paving the streets is a difficult task and I appreciate the city council for working on this task. I reviewing the 6/21/2017 article entitled “Council digs into Sheriff contract”, I found myself agreeing with some of the council’s comments and disagreeing with other comments.

I honestly believe when negotiating this contract the council should ask for the “full meal deal”. If you don’t purchase the “Hummer” and go with the “KIA”, what happens if you need some of the services that the KIA contract doesn’t come with? For example, the city needs Search & Rescue, but that service is not in the contract. Now instead of the city paying a “flat rate” for this service, they are now going to be paying the “a-la-carte” price which includes the deputy(s) salaries to include overtime, the vehicles needed to respond to the call for service, the equipment needed for the call, etc. Another example is that Oktoberfest could go sideways anytime during the three weekends it’s held. I’d want the “Hummer” package if that happens.

If the city dis-incorporated, I agree that the sheriff’s office would still have a duty to respond to calls for service in the city; when a deputy was available, and we all know too well that our deputies are spread too thin now! Mayor Farivar asked a question according to the article which was “...we just say we expect you to protect the city residents just like the county residents” referring to what if the council protested and didn’t sign the contract? What I don’t think the council is understanding, you’re not living in Tacoma, Seattle or Spokane, where the number of officer’s per shift outnumbers that of the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office. I would guess that in Seattle or Tacoma there are more officers assigned to a specific sector of the city per shift, that is equal to, or outnumbers what Chelan

County has on-duty in the entire county. Look at the deputy who was involved in the shooting near the Starbucks a year or so ago.

The shooting occurred, both the deputy and the suspect entered their vehicles, the pursuit started towards Wenatchee and from what I recall, the first back-up officer wasn’t able to engage until the pursuit was leaving the city limit’s or east of there.

Now replace the deputy with a citizen who resides within the city limits of Leavenworth. You as the citizen, would probably get assistance from a deputy within 10-15 minutes, in some instances less; but when every second counts, you’d like that deputy there a lot sooner; I know I would! My point; don’t dis-incorporate!

Finally, I want to address visibility of deputies in the city. Visibility is a big deterrent of crime. Our deputies use to have an office located upstairs in City Hall, but that went away for some reason and they are located out of town at the Fire Station.

Bring them back to City Hall, where they can be more visible to the town. I hope when they were moved to the Fire Station it wasn’t a “We’re not backing you” move from the City.

Greg Pressel

Leavenworth

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