It’s an impending week of change for the face of law enforcement in the upper Valley. As the King County Sheriff’s Office finishes up the process of closing its North Bend substation on March 6th and ending 40 years of serving the City of North Bend, Snoqualmie Police prepare to about double their patrol area.
In 2012, the North Bend City Council decided to contract with Snoqualmie for police services, citing a budgetary savings that would allow them to increase safety with an additional police patrol in the city.
The Snoqualmie Police Department takes over patrolling the city limits of North Bend on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Snoqualmie hired additional
officers and purchased more vehicles as it readied the expansion into its neighbor city.
The budget for North Bend police services, including salaries, benefits, vehicles, uniforms, equipment, comes from North Bend, with no monies coming from the City of Snoqualmie budget.
According to a city press release, the new officers “will be fully dedicated to serving and protecting North Bend residents, businesses and visitors, while current Snoqualmie police officers will continue to serve Snoqualmie.”
The new police officers will report to Snoqualmie Police Department Chief, Steve McCulley, and Captain, Nick Almquist. All officers, though, will work as a team, supporting each other up as needed for incidents and/or developing mutually beneficial, joint city programs.
Familiar King County Sheriff’s Office faces, including Chief Mark Toner, should still be around, though. According to the Snoqualmie Valley Record, the Sheriff’s Office will move its two patrol cars currently serving both the City of North Bend and its unincorporated areas to just the unincorporated North Bend areas.
“We are looking forward to expanding our service area to cover both cities in the Upper Snoqualmie Valley,” said Chief McCulley. “Snoqualmie Police Department officers are committed to ensuring safety and peace of mind in both cities. Our goal is to provide the most responsive, cost efficient, and effective police services possible.”
Comments
We thank the KC Sheriff dept for their service to the community. Living in Unincorporated KC it will be great to have specific patrols for our area. With the expansion of the heroin camps we surely need it. Living on a major road out to the rivers we have seen a marked increase in foot traffic out to the wooded areas surrounding Mt Si. etc.. There seems to be at least one or more folks walking East from town with large nap sacks, duffel bags etc.. I don’t think they are moving anywhere.. we have had people come to our back deck “looking to sell ” things.. hmmm. The crime rate is climbing it seems.. the presence of officers and their attention will surely help. Again, thank you KC Sheriffs.. and welcome Snoqualmie Officers.. those black SUV’s look great!
In 2001 when I was on the North Bend City Council, I proposed a resolution to merge the two cities police services! Sometimes it takes a seed 13 years to germinate!!! Can’t wait to see the increased safety level for the entire valley! Compliments to both cities councils!