SULTAN — The Sultan City Council voted unanimously Thursday to disband their police department and contract with Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office for police services.
As part of the agreement, the east precinct of the sheriff’s office also will move from Monroe to the current Sultan Police Department.
That will bring 23 full-time officers to the city, although only 6 1/3 positions will be devoted to serving the city.
A half-time lieutenant will act as police chief and report to the mayor, as well as run the east precinct, which includes unincorporated Snohomish County and Gold Bar.
The contract is scheduled to begin Jan. 1 and will last for at least the next five years.
The city will receive a $30,000 credit each year for the county’s use of its police facility. Contracting with the sheriff’s office will cost Sultan $4,362,397 over the five years.
The city figured that keeping the department would have cost $984,622 in 2009. Instead, the first year with the sheriff’s department is projected to cost $831,829.
The City Council has previously opposed contracting with the sheriff’s office.
Many in the community didn’t want to lose local control of their police force and there was broad support for former Police Chief Fred Walser, who would have lost his position with the change, city administrator Deborah Knight said.
Crime in the city has been getting worse, she said. At one time the city had 11 officers, many of whom were paid for by federal grants. Those grants went away in 2000.
The city’s budget was further stretched when the Legislature limited property tax collection increases to 1 percent per year unless voters approved more.
Meanwhile, police operations have gotten more expensive. Fuel costs for the city alone doubled last year, Knight said.
The city and the sheriff’s office began working together earlier this year when sheriff’s Sgt. Rick Hawkins stepped in to serve as interim police chief in Sultan. The arrangement was so successful the city and the sheriff’s office began exploring the possibility of a more in-depth and long-term partnership, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.
Sgt. Hawkins will serve as acting chief until the end of the year. The new police chief will start serving in January. The city hasn’t decided yet how they’ll conduct the hiring process.
Sultan is the sixth major contracting partner with the sheriff’s office. Other partners include Stanwood, Darrington, Gold Bar, Index and Community Transit.
Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com.
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