(The Center Square) – Spokane Valley City Council members are considering adding up to 30 police officers and support staff in the next three years at an estimated cost of $6.2 million, beginning with the recruitment of up to a dozen officers this year.
On Tuesday, council members heard a presentation from police chief Dave Ellis, deputy city manager Erik Lamb, and senior administrative analyst Morgan Koudelka, who summarized findings from Matrix Consulting Group Ltd, hired by the city in 2022 to study police department staffing needs based on calls for service and responses, caseloads for investigative units, and operational delivery.
Since 2011, police service calls have increased by 63%, including a 17% increase between 2017-2022. Even with operational adjustments, response times by officers are increasingly slower and there is now less time for officers to conduct “proactive policing,” a staff report says.
Spokane Valley contracts with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services. Under the current agreement, the city has 91 “dedicated” officers while another 37 officers are shared between the city and the county. The city has six patrol districts and at least one officer is expected to be on duty in each district at all times.