EDMONDS—The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is meeting with city of Edmonds officials on Friday, December 13, to discuss the option of contracting out law enforcement services to the city if a dissolution of the Edmonds Police Department were to occur. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office currently has 29 open deputy sheriff positions.
“They are working on a few options to address budget gaps, and one of those options includes talking with us about a possible contract for police services…We will, of course, be considering impacts to our agency during those conversations,” said Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson. “These are not easy situations for a city to be involved in, so please be compassionate to our brothers and sisters in blue in Edmonds.”
The City of Edmonds is considering dissolving its Police Department to cut costs in the wake of a $13 million budget deficit. City officials are also in conversations with the King County Sheriff’s Office with a similar deal.
The multi-million dollar deficit stemmed from the city overestimating revenues by $200,000, King 5 first reported back in October, and made worse by overestimating the beginning budget balance by $550,000, and paying more than $250,000 in un-budgeted funds to laid off employees…