As the City Council gets closer to making a decision about dumping the Snohomish Police Department and contracting with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department for police services, I can’t help but think the discussion is about Apples and Oranges.
If the analysis was just about cost with the service being the same between the two vendors it would be difficult for the Sheriff’s office to offer a less expensive service since their officers are paid more money. That would suggest that the service won’t be the same.
I suspect that the service will be lower because the Sheriff will use city designated officers to patrol unincorporated areas as well as the city creating a longer response time when officers are needed. That looks like the city subsidizing the cost of patrolling unincorporated sections of the county at the expense of service in the city. What is that worth?
I do recognize that the Sheriff’s plan reduces management cost by substituting two sheriff mangers where the city currently has three; but that won’t save $375,000.
I don’t know the salaries and benefits for either department but it is generally known that the county pays better than small cities. Certainly cost is a factor in Council’s consideration so cutting nearly $400,000 from a police budget totaling $4 million will be challenging with those more expensive folks.
If we are asking the Sheriff’s office to submit a proposal to provide police services at a specified level of service measured by specific criteria we should also ask Chief Turner to do the same thing. If we outline service level expectations and work plans for both service providers let’s see if Chief Turner can compete on a level playing field. Let’s see what service cuts we might suffer through with Chief Turner that can be restored down the road before we make them permanent.
Abandoning our local police department is a “no-going-back” decision. Let’s make sure we have exhausted all our options before we are left with that most painful choice.
Three years from now I don’t want buyer’s remorse.
No Loss for Words 
Leave a comment