Federal Way Police Department hopes a grant will help pay for new entry-level officers.
On April 7, the city council unanimously granted the police department permission to seek the Cop Hiring and Recovery Program (CHRP) grant, offered through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. A total of $1 billion is up for grabs. The grant will pay 100 percent of the hired entry-level officers’ salaries and benefits for three years. It does not require matching funding, but does require the recipients to supply the officers’ equipment.
Federal Way, if awarded the grant, plans to hire four officers, police Chief Brian Wilson said. The department would purchase equipment and two vehicles, he said. The new hires would bring the department’s personnel, not including administrative persons, to 140 officers, Wilson said. This would bring the officers-to-citizens ratio to 1.59 officers per 1,000 people.
Applying for the grant is a way to be proactive. As the population increases, more officers will likely be needed, Deputy Chief Andy Hwang said. Securing the officers at a decreased cost to the city is a service to the community, he said.
The officers could be used in a variety of ways, including the formation and strengthening of one or more of the following task forces:
• Bicycle unit: This team could police the downtown core and large parks. “The advantage of a bicycle unit is you can be more concentrated and a little more stealth when approaching criminals,” Hwang said. “(The officers) can patrol in smaller areas and are very approachable by the public.”
• Civil order team: A two-person team could complement the Family Crimes Unit and specialize in civil family orders. It would be a resource to the community. There would be dedicated officers to serving orders, such as no-contact or protection orders, Hwang said. This team would be of assistance to prosecutors and domestic violence advocates, he said.
• School resource officers (SROs) in the junior high schools: These officers could assist the schools with criminal issues and be a valuable resource to students and with programs, such as Gang Resistance is Paramount (GRIP). They would serve an education and prevention function. “We have tremendous success with SRO officers in the high schools,” Hwang said.
• Neighborhood resource team: Four officers could work closely to help neighborhoods address concerns. They would attend neighborhood meetings and work with the crime analysis and information unit to help identify concentrated crime trends. “By having additional resources, it’s another tool to attacking issues in a particular neighborhood,” Hwang said. “You are at the ground level with the neighborhood.”
• DUI task force: This unit would fall under the supervision of the traffic unit. Officers with this task force would specialize in drug recognition. When a patrol officer pulls over a person suspected of driving under the influence, a specialized DUI officer could take over the investigation and allow patrol personnel to spend more time on the street, rather than completing paperwork, Hwang said.
After the three-year time period, the awardee must retain the officers for at least another 12 months. City council member Dini Duclos urged her fellow council members at their regularly scheduled meeting to allow the police department to pursue the money. She reminded them the city is not obligated to accept the funding if it is issued the award.
“It doesn’t hurt to apply,” Duclos said. “Our gang problem is rising every day.”
City council member Linda Kochmar was more reluctant in her vote. Before giving her OK, she asked Wilson if he was prepared to fire the officers at the end of four years if the economy does not improve and the city finds itself unable to continue paying the officers’ salaries and benefits. Wilson told her he was prepared to make that difficult decision, if necessary, at a later date.
