Money Approved to Unfreeze Enumclaw Police Officer Position

The Enumclaw police officer position that has been frozen since 2004 gets to thaw out this spring, thanks to the City Council's approval of $93,724 to fill the position as one of three amendments to the 2012 budget that was approved Monday night.

According to a staff report from Police Chief Jim Zoll dated from Feb. 28, the figure represents the total start-up costs, including vehicle and equipment, to hire a Step 3 officer in the middle of the year.

City administrator Mike Thomas said during a council workshop last month () that assuming there are no delays in the hiring process, the department could have a new officer on the streets as early as August.

At that same workshop, Zoll and police Lt. Bob Huebler told council the department needed to unfreeze the position so that current staffing problems could be ameliorated, particularly as calls for service increase. With only 12 officers -- including three sargeants -- available to respond to calls, the department needs help to continue adequate staffing 24 hours a day and to fill vacancies from vacations and injuries.

For the officers themselves, said Zoll, there has been a noticeable increase in DUI and domestic violence calls, which takes them out of commission while they see an arrest process through and write up reports.

City attorney Mike Reynolds said the current increases in crimes like DUIs, domestic violence, property damage and thefts aren't population-related -- they're economy-related.

People are frustrated with not being able to pay bills and other effects of a lagging economy and are acting out, he said.

Other Line Items

The budget amendment that makes unfreezing the police officer position possible also contains two additional line items:

• $10,000 for Economic Development that was carried over from not being used in 2011
• $12,000 for replacement of the roof at the cemetery office