SNOHOMISH — The city will soon begin negotiations to extend its contract with the sheriff’s office to run the Snohomish Police Department for five more years.
The department will probably continue to have 20 personnel*.
“I believe this city is staffed at a really good level,” Police Chief Rob Palmer said, even as the area grows. Snohomish has grown into a small city with 10,000 residents within city limits and 25,000 more residents in the area, he said.
There’s not enough social services work to rationalize bringing in a dedicated social worker, Palmer told the City Council. The department’s Community Resource Officer, who’s tasked with aiding homeless individuals as part of his duties, is working together with the sheriff’s office to get people help.
The Police Department plans to schedule a town hall for Tuesday, March 9 where people can share viewpoints and learn city crime statistics, among other topics.
Palmer’s also restarted meet-ups with the public.
One potential change is that the city intends to ask the Snohomish School District to contract directly with the Sheriff’s Office for a School Resource Officer. Right now, the school district pays 75 percent of the cost for this position and the city pays the other 25 percent. There hasn’t been a deputy roaming Snohomish High School since schools closed last March, and the position has remained vacant since.
The City of Snohomish began contracting with the Sheriff’s Office in 2011 for policing services and disbanded its own police force.
Palmer, who’s lived in the Snohomish area for 25 years, emphasized to the City Council that the department is still a hometown force.
“This is your police department; I’m proud to wear this patch (and) you still have your police department,” Palmer said.
* - CORRECTION:
The print version of this story stated it would be 20 deputies. This is incorrect. The correct number is 18 deputies plus two non-commissioned staff, equalling 20 personnel. The Tribune regrets the error.
