Spokane Valley saves $300K on police remodel, but future growth may limit impact

(The Center Square) – Spokane Valley saved taxpayers more than $300,000 on Tuesday after the city council awarded a contract to remodel the police department’s precinct for less than it had expected.

The project positions the Spokane Valley Police Department to support about 30 additional personnel, including 28 commissioned officers. Tuesday’s decision to award the contract to Leone & Kibber Inc. follows consultants’ recommendations in 2023 that the council hire that many to meet local demand.

The officials approved funding for the first 10 hires last year, and voters approved a historic sales tax last week to fund the next round. The Valley still needs to identify funding for the final wave, but the remodel should make room for all 30 hires, unless policing needs change again over the coming years.

“Space constraints would be any kind of office-related staff,” Police Chief Dave Ellis said when asked if the remodel could accommodate future hires. “Could be investigators, it could be traffic investigators, those kinds of things, so it depends on what the increase would be beyond the current 30 [proposed].”

Councilmember Al Merkel raised the question, given a recent report recommending that they prepare for the Valley’s population to increase by nearly 21,000 people, almost 20%, from 2023 through 2046.

According to state data, the Valley had a population of about 83,000 when it was incorporated in 2003 and now has more than 110,000 residents. That number increased nearly 30% in the Valley’s first 20 years, but calls for service went up over 16% from 2017 to 2023 alone, highlighting Merkel’s concern.

Calls for service fell about 3% last year to 49,674, but anticipated growth over the coming years will likely reverse that trend. Ellis sent information to City Manager John Hohman and others in November 2023, noting that the consultants’ recommendations were based on a snapshot in time back in 2022.

“Staffing needs will need to be reassessed each year to reflect changes in crime statistics, calls for service, and population growth,” Ellis told Hohman and others at the time. “Recommendations reflect the current service levels. If the [Valley] wishes to adopt the enhanced service levels discussed on page 61 of the staffing study, it will require an additional seven patrol officers as recommended.”

The Valley has always contracted its law enforcement services through the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, with the original agreement including 100.5 officers dedicated to the city. The current contract, after the first round of new hires, provides 101 dedicated officers and then 37 shared with the county.

While the Valley added a few dozen officers shared with the county, those dedicated solely to the city only increased by fewer than one commissioned officer since 2003. Before the dais approved funding for the first new hires last year, the number had dropped to 91, even lower than agreed to previously.

Regardless, Tuesday’s vote sets the contractor to remodel the SVPD precinct, which city staff said they hope to start in September, wrapping up in early 2026. It’ll make room for 30 more people, but the city will need to keep an eye on population growth and crime trends if it hopes to hire more officers later on.

“I’m personally thrilled that this is coming in under budget,” Councilmember Jessica Yaeger said, “but lots of prayers for you, and good luck, because I’ve been through renovations like this, so have fun.”