EVERETT — Law-and-order costs are consuming an increasing share of county and city budgets, 50 city and county officials agreed Tuesday at the first regional Law and Justice Task Force meeting.
The task force was created by Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon to help leaders from the city and county curb rising costs and share ideas for saving money.
The costs associated with arresting suspects, hauling them off to court and locking them away last year consumed nearly 70 percent of the county’s annual general fund budget.
For 2003, that worked out to about $113.5 million, and similar expense levels are forecast for 2004. Much of those costs are connected to operation of the Snohomish County Jail, said Susan Neely, the county’s director for law, justice and human services.
Cities are feeling the pinch, too, leaders told Reardon.
"We’re all in the same boat," said Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, who is planning to reveal $3.5 million in cuts to the city’s 2004 budget at this morning’s City Council meeting. "We’ve got to find new and creative ways to reduce costs."
City leaders say jailing suspects is one of their top law enforcement expenses. Some have contracted with jails in Eastern Washington to save money.
Snohomish County is currently building a new $86.5 million jail wing to relieve overcrowding, but reducing jail costs over the long term will only be possible if the community finds ways to trim the total number of inmates being locked up, and also reduce the average length of stay for those who wind up behind bars, county corrections director Steve Thompson said.
Several leaders suggested increasing the use of alternative sentences, such as electronic monitoring and Snohomish County’s drug court.
"It was a good initial exchange of ideas," Reardon said. "Every one of us has the largest percentage of our budgets dedicated to law enforcement. The costs keep increasing, and we’re still not meeting the demand."
The county’s criminal justice costs have been studied repeatedly in recent years, including by a special Law and Justice Cabinet.
This group needs to focus on identifying specific solutions, Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart said.
"We tried this years ago with the law and justice committee. We didn’t get anything accomplished, so we’re not meeting anymore," Bart said. "I fear that’s where we’re going to go again if we don’t have a solid direction that we’re headed in."
The difference between the new task force and previous efforts is that leaders from cities and towns are being asked to play a role in developing solutions, Reardon said.
County department heads, mayors, police chiefs, city council members, judges and others attended Wednesday’s meeting.
"This process is bringing high-level decision makers together, and I think we’re breaking down barriers between the county and the cities," he said.
Once the task force makes progress with law enforcement issues, Reardon said he hopes county and city leaders will work together to tackle other problems.
The next meeting of the Law and Justice Task Force is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 27.
Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or schiffner@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
