EVERETT — Snohomish County Sheriff Ty Trenary on Tuesday said that proposed cuts to his annual budget would eliminate most policing programs except for investigations, 911 response and search &rescue.
The largest proposed reduction would be to the work-release program, which allows people convicted of crimes to serve their jail sentences while also going to their jobs. That option is generally available for nonviolent offenders without prior offenses.
The second largest cut would be to the sheriff’s Office of Neighborhoods, which partners deputies with social workers to reach out to the homeless and those struggling with addiction.
County Executive Dave Somers’ proposed operating budget for 2017 involves about $6 million in cuts, including $2.4 million from the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office in 2016 is budgeted for $102.5 million in general fund expenditures. The sheriff oversees law enforcement as well as the jail.
Trenary on Tuesday was briefing the County Council on how the proposed cuts would affect services. He also asked that any personnel cuts be made through attrition rather than layoffs.
If the budget cuts happen as projected, additional losses would include the Violent Offender Task Force partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the sheriff’s office’s practice of offering concealed pistol licenses and fingerprinting at precincts in Sultan, Mill Creek and north Marysville, Trenary said. The sheriff’s office also would provide less assistance to city police departments with major crime and collision investigations, he said, and there would be fewer resources to investigate identity theft and fraud.
“The only way we get to this $2.4 million is to eliminate these programs,” Trenary told the council. “… I’m hoping you understand the magnitude of what we’re facing.”
Trenary was asked about potential revenue growth from jail contracts. The jail can house inmates for other police departments as room allows. The sheriff years earlier cut back on bookings from the jail contracts, saying that overcrowding was contributing to safety problems, especially for inmates with serious medical and mental health concerns. Some of those contracts are up for renegotiation.
Trenary said he doesn’t want the jail to become “the cheapest game in town” to make money.
The county in August had asked voters to approve a 0.2 percent sales tax increase to support public safety. The measure would have raised an estimated $15 million per year for the county and was advertised as a tool to combat heroin addiction and property crime. It failed to win voter support by fewer than 400 votes.
The County Council is likely to pass its own version of the 2017 budget next month. The council will continue to work with department heads to figure out where cuts will happen and how to mitigate those effects, Chairman Terry Ryan told the sheriff.
“It was very sobering to hear some of this,” Ryan said.
Reporter Noah Haglund contributed to this story.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @rikkiking.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
