(The Center Square) – Spokane announced a new 30-day pilot program on Thursday to address crime downtown following a recent poll that found 77% of respondents consider the area “absolutely” dangerous.
Police Chief Kevin Hall hinted at the program earlier this week during a Monday committee meeting. He said the Spokane Police Department would start utilizing overtime savings next week to place more officers downtown and gauge financial sustainability over the next month.
The city confirmed this on Thursday through a news release noting that more officers are heading downtown to increase “visibility and engagement through bike and foot patrols.”
According to the release, the Crisis Outreach, Response and Engagement Plan, or CORE plan, will focus on a “data-driven policing approach” to tackle the areas most impacted by crime.
“By leveraging data and deploying officers on bike and foot patrols,” Hall wrote in the release, “the Spokane Police Department is aiming to build stronger relationships in the community, increase visibility, and address the root causes of issues in our most challenging areas.”