By Joanna Putman
Police1
EDMONDS, Wash. — The city of Edmonds is evaluating a contentious proposal to replace its police department by contracting law enforcement services with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, KTTH reported.
Facing a $20 million budget shortfall, city leaders are exploring cost-cutting measures, including workforce reductions and significant structural changes, according to the report.
City officials and the SCSO have confirmed an upcoming meeting to discuss the potential arrangement. Meanwhile, the proposal has sparked strong opposition from the Edmonds Police Officers Association, which warns of diminished service quality and disruption within the department, according to the report.
City representatives describe the discussions as “exploratory,” but Edmonds Police officers view the move as a serious threat to the department’s future. In early December, city officials, including Police Chief Michelle Bennett, met with the King County Sheriff’s Office to explore a similar arrangement, according to the report. The decision to consult KCSO first reportedly upset SCSO officials.
Bennett, who previously served with KCSO and plans to retire in early 2025, defended the sequence of meetings as a matter of existing relationships. Despite these assurances, some officers have accused Bennett of further straining morale.
Union President Officer Will Morris, representing 48 officers and 15 support staff, criticized the city’s approach and expressed concern about officers leaving for other departments offering better job security and incentives.
“Our members really love serving in the community of Edmonds, and they’re very passionate about that. So not being able to (do) that under the Edmonds Police Department is very frustrating for that,” Morris told KTTH.
Contracting with SCSO would likely require the transition of current Edmonds officers, but Morris estimates only 15 officers might make the move. Many prefer working for a municipal department over a county agency, according to the report. The KCSO option is even less popular among Edmonds officers, who reportedly oppose King County’s inquest process for officer-involved shootings.
Morris called on city leaders to prioritize preserving the police department, even if that requires deeper budget cuts elsewhere.
“We had a membership meeting earlier this week where we talked about the realities of our financial situation, and from our membership’s perspective, the city has not cut enough, even from the police department. As hard as that is to say, we think it’s a disservice to the citizens of Edmonds that we’re not cutting more to allow us to have a police department moving forward,” Morris said.