SPOKANE — The three finalists to become Spokane’s police ombudsman will be in town this week for community interviews.
The Spokesman-Review reports that signals an end is in sight for a hiring process that some residents say has left the position vacant for too long.
Since the start of the year, the Spokane Police Department has received 71 complaints. They’ve also completed 21 Internal Affairs investigations and had three officer-involved shootings, one fatal.
But for the first time since 2009, there’s no independent civilian to review those decisions. Spokane’s police ombudsman post has been empty since Tim Burns left in January.
That vacancy and turmoil in the police ombudsman commission have left the office virtually unstaffed, forcing the commission to pay an attorney to take minutes at their meetings.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.