SULTAN — If the heart of community police work is getting to know everybody in town and having them know you, then Jeff Brand has a jump on his new job.
The Snohomish County sheriff’s lieutenant will take over as the Sultan police chief when the department starts contracting to provide police services for the city on Jan. 1
In nearly 20 years with the sheriff’s office, Brand has served up and down the Skykomish Valley, including a three-year stint as Gold Bar’s police chief.
He’s already serving as east precinct commander and will continue those duties while serving as police chief.
“My philosophy is we work together with the community,” he said. “We don’t solve all the issues — we can’t and probably shouldn’t. As police, we should help the community resolve crime and improve quality of life.”
As part of the deal, the sheriff’s office agreed to move its east precinct from Monroe to Sultan. That change also will occur at the new year.
Brand will oversee 23 full-time deputies and employees, although only 6 1/3 positions will be devoted to serving the city. As east precinct commander, he’s also responsible for monitoring the sheriff’s contracts with the cities of Gold Bar and Index.
The City Council had 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. Walser left the department this year. In June, Walser pleaded guilty to providing false information to a public servant, a gross misdemeanor, while being Sultan police chief.
The city and the sheriff’s office began working together earlier this year when Sgt. Rick Hawkins stepped in to serve as interim police chief in Sultan.
“They’ve dealt with the issues they had to deal with,” Brand said. “I’m going to come in with a team and we are just going to do the best we can.”
Brand got his first taste of police work at Skykomish, a town so tiny he spent half his time on patrol and the rest digging ditches, clearing roads and picking up litter for the public works department.
As the sole officer in town, he teamed up with King County sheriff’s deputies and state troopers for domestic violence calls or clearing traffic on U.S. 2.
“We try as much as we can to get at the root of problems instead of handling a call and moving on,” he said.
Sultan may be a small town, but the police chief position could shape up to be a big job.
Crime in the city has been getting worse, city administrator Deborah Knight said. At one time the city had 11 officers, many of whom were paid for by federal grants. Those grants went away in 2000.
On the top of Brand’s to-do list is learning what Sultan residents are most concerned about. People have told him they’re concerned about the city’s transient population and juveniles hanging around town. Past experience has taught him problems are often complex.
Thirteen years ago, the sheriff’s office took a similar survey of people’s concerns about crime in the county. Everyone expected burglaries and drugs would top the list. Instead, the survey found people were most concerned about speeding traffic and barking dogs.
“Everybody is looking for a single answer, a silver bullet — this is the problem and this is the solution,” he said. “Things aren’t that simple. I’d like to first find out what the majority of people around town think is the biggest issue.”
At first, the city had hoped Hawkins would keep the job but he wasn’t eligible as a sergeant. After checking up on Brand, the mayor said he turned out to be the right man for the job.
“He’s exactly what he says he is,” Eslick said. “He is a community police person and that’s exactly who we need.”
The City Council unanimously supported Brand’s appointment, Eslick said.
Getting Brand, 53, to talk about his life outside work is like prying open a bank vault with a toothpick. He admits to enjoying yard work and spending time with family. He and his wife Margaret, a homemaker, raised five children. He’s looking forward to getting his motorcycle endorsement.
It doesn’t sound like he’ll have much time to ride.
As a precinct commander, it’s common to work 12- to 15-hour days regularly. Brand said he’ll do what it takes to get the job done.
“We don’t do it for the pay or benefits and certainly not for the glamour,” he said. “We have the commitment to do the job as best we can.”
Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com.
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