VANCOUVER, Wash. (KATU) — A policy change at the Vancouver Police Department continues to spark debate after an internal memo obtained by KATU News outlined new procedures for handling multiple low-level offenses.
According to the memo, effective Friday, officers generally will refer certain misdemeanor cases to the Vancouver City Attorney’s Office instead of issuing a physical citation through the TraCS system.
The city of Vancouver said the change was made to help public defenders catch up on cases because of an attorney shortage. According to the Washington State Office of Public Defense, public defender caseloads were limited beginning this year…