SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Police Department is launching a specialized Gun Crime Unit as part of a plan to reduce gun-related crimes citywide by 10% by the end of 2026.
The pilot, which starts now, will run through the end of the year and be based out of the Northeast Precinct. The unit will include a sergeant, three patrol officers and three detectives working 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. That’s the hours Spokane police data shows are when most shootings occur in Spokane, according to Chief Kevin Hall at Monday’s Public Safety and community health committee meeting.
The team will be first on the scene of shootings and treat each one like a homicide-level investigation, even if no one is hurt, said Chief Hall. That approach allows them to assign more investigators and resources right away, ensuring cases don’t slip through the cracks…