Snohomish looking at options to keep cops

SNOHOMISH — The future of the Snohomish Police Department remains murky.

City leaders have said they’re leaning toward keeping their own cop shop. Still, the City Council plans to hear a presentation from Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick next month. The city has been considering a contract with the sheriff’s office for police services, a move that could save up to $375,397 a year.

Meanwhile, Monroe police also have offered to contract with Snohomish until it gets back on its feet. The city declined.

The Snohomish City Council asked people to comment Tuesday on the idea of a tax increase to keep the police department and the parks program. The city is looking for ways to close a roughly $1 million shortfall for next year. Police and the parks have been on the chopping block.

More than two dozen attended the meeting. Roughly half spoke. Most said they supported a sheriff’s contract for police services instead of higher taxes.

“We have to become lean,” Bruce Ferguson told the council. “The current budget issue is that we are too fat.”

Others said they were worried Snohomish could lose autonomy in police decisions, or that services would suffer.

Robert Knight, president of the Rotary Club of Snohomish, spoke in favor of keeping a local police department. He said he has seen officers going to skate parks to get acquainted, not to arrest people.

“That’s what makes the difference,” he said.

Several people spoke in support of Snohomish Police Chief John Turner, who likely would lose his job if the city decided to contract with the sheriff’s office.

Lovick’s presentation has been scheduled for July 5. That’s also when the council is expected to give City Manager Larry Bauman direction on how to prepare his recommended 2012 budget.

The sheriff’s office wasn’t the only agency interested in getting involved in Snohomish.

Monroe Police Chief Tim Quenzer sent Bauman a letter in late April saying his city, which lies roughly 10 miles east, would be interested in contracting to provide police services in Snohomish.

A “city policing” agreement would provide “a more person-to-person response and a greater connection with the people of Snohomish” than a sheriff’s contract, he wrote.

Two weeks later, Bauman wrote back. He said the City Council’s tentative direction on May 10 would “indicate no interest at this time in pursuing an outside contract for police services.”

He thanked Quenzer for his offer and said he may get back in touch if things change.

Quenzer said Monroe police were interested in helping Snohomish weather the tough economy through some kind of interlocal agreement. Monroe could provide administrative police services, for example, while Snohomish could keep its own department and officers, he said. They could split up in a couple of years when Snohomish was in a better spot.

Quenzer said he was concerned that if Snohomish contracted with the sheriff’s office it would be next to impossible to ever go back.

“You have to start all over when you go to that, and I just hated to see that happen to the city of Snohomish and the people in Snohomish,” Quenzer said.

The Monroe chief said he felt an obligation to let Snohomish know they had more options.

It’s unclear when Snohomish will make a decision on the cops. The budget isn’t final until late November or early December.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.