Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
City, Sheriff’s Office to negotiate terms
DAVENPORT — The 4-year contract between the City and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services expires at the end of 2024. As a result, negotiations are expected to commence this year for a potential new contract.
And with that comes a once-every-four-years debate about whether the city should continue contracting with the Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services or begin its own police department, which the city hasn’t had in over 20 years.
City council’s police/fire committee has held two meetings to begin preliminary discussions about the direction the City should take. In the most recent committee meeting, held prior to council’s regular meeting Wednesday, March 13, councilmembers began to express opinions that on the matter.
“I read this document, and they’re not fulfilling their end of the contract,” councilman Mike Wilkinson said. At a previous meeting, he said he feels the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t staff the city limits with dedicated officers as outlined in the current contract. “I want to know, how will they meet requirements in here?”
Councilman Cory Hollis said he hopes to hear feedback from the citizens who live within city limits.
“They’re the ones footing the bill,” Hollis said.
The upcoming negotiation period will be the first for Wilkinson and two fellow councilmen, Robert Jenkins and Daniel Coriell. Additionally, Mayor Jonathan Chapman will be participating in his first law enforcement negotiation with the City.
All four took their respective offices in years following the agreement reached in 2020.
Sheriff Gabe Gants said his office hopes to reach a new contract and continue providing the City law enforcement services.
“It’s been a contract that’s benefited both the city and the Sheriff’s Office,” Gants said. “It’s allowed us to have more bodies and them to have better coverage than we would on our own. We pay for three people out of that contract.”
The yearly payment from the City hasn’t changed since 2017 and stands at $315,000 annually. That will change if the Sheriff’s Office’s proposal is accepted. The Office is proposing a $350,000 payment in 2025 with a cost-of-living increase starting in 2026 and each following January of the contract’s lifespan.
“The current contract amount of $315,000 has not increased since at least 2017,” Gants said. “COLA’s have gone up over 20% since then.”
The City police/fire committee said they hope to see Gants and a Lincoln County Commissioner at a future meeting to begin discussions before adjourning for regular Council business March 13.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
Reader Comments(0)