Police office shortage latest problem to plague Pacific
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PACIFIC, Wash. -- The town of Pacific is facing a new crisis: a police officer shortage.
The police chief is now on medical leave due to stress, and says the mayor is to blame.
In 2010, the Pacific Police Department had 11 officers. Now the force is down to just four officers, one of whom is ready to jump ship.
While the police force is dwindling, some say the town's crime is rising.
Surveillance video captured two burglars breaking into a Pacific restaurant this week. They scurried around, looking for cash. They eventually fled, empty-handed, before police arrived.
The incident was the first time the restaurant has been hit in its nine years of business. But the owner worries the eatery may now be more vulnerable to crime due to recent police cuts.
"It tells me the preventative measures that were in place when we had enough officers were working," said restaurant owner Tracey Apata.
Since departures and retirements left the department with just four officers, those remaining have been working long overtime shifts.
Pacific Police Officer Mike Kim says he has been working "more than I've worked pretty much anywhere else."
"I'm just really tired," Kim said.
The shortage is compounded by the absence of Pacific Police Chief John Calkins, who just recently took medical leave under doctor's orders due to stress.
"It's related pretty much to the stress created by the mayor," Calkins said.
Calkins, a non-smoker, had throat cancer several years ago and breathes through an opening in his throat. But his condition doesn't prevent him from voicing his opinions about Pacific Mayor Cy Sun.
"I think it's very obvious he has a vendetta against the police department," the police chief said.
When asked to comment, the mayor said, "I don't want to talk with you, because you're an (expletive)."
Asked to elaborate, Sun added, "I said, 'you're an asset."' The mayor referred KOMO News to his blog, which states no new police officers will be hired because they cost the city too much money.
The restaurant who fell victim to burglary is one of the leaders of the recall effort against the mayor.
The police chief is now on medical leave due to stress, and says the mayor is to blame.
In 2010, the Pacific Police Department had 11 officers. Now the force is down to just four officers, one of whom is ready to jump ship.
While the police force is dwindling, some say the town's crime is rising.
Surveillance video captured two burglars breaking into a Pacific restaurant this week. They scurried around, looking for cash. They eventually fled, empty-handed, before police arrived.
The incident was the first time the restaurant has been hit in its nine years of business. But the owner worries the eatery may now be more vulnerable to crime due to recent police cuts.
"It tells me the preventative measures that were in place when we had enough officers were working," said restaurant owner Tracey Apata.
Since departures and retirements left the department with just four officers, those remaining have been working long overtime shifts.
Pacific Police Officer Mike Kim says he has been working "more than I've worked pretty much anywhere else."
"I'm just really tired," Kim said.
The shortage is compounded by the absence of Pacific Police Chief John Calkins, who just recently took medical leave under doctor's orders due to stress.
"It's related pretty much to the stress created by the mayor," Calkins said.
Calkins, a non-smoker, had throat cancer several years ago and breathes through an opening in his throat. But his condition doesn't prevent him from voicing his opinions about Pacific Mayor Cy Sun.
"I think it's very obvious he has a vendetta against the police department," the police chief said.
When asked to comment, the mayor said, "I don't want to talk with you, because you're an (expletive)."
Asked to elaborate, Sun added, "I said, 'you're an asset."' The mayor referred KOMO News to his blog, which states no new police officers will be hired because they cost the city too much money.
The restaurant who fell victim to burglary is one of the leaders of the recall effort against the mayor.
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Great headline Komo
I looked up "Dirty Politics" in the dictionary, it said: "See Pacific, WA".
 @Magic 8 Ball Remember - when there is a shortage of police manpower, and there are an impossible number of laws to keep track of, then the people and crimes that get focused on are the politically expedient items (i.e., helps keep those in power, in power), NOT the ones that actually pose the greatest risk to life and limb, law and order. Thus it has always been.
If Dairy Queen remained open all night every night, Tracy Apata would not have to worry about after hours break ins. Â You are in the food service industry. I still refuse to eat at your slime burger take out at any time of the day. Pacific would be better off with no Dairy Queen at all.
The police chief should have been fired 2 or 3 years back when he was arrested in Bonney Lake for DUI and than tried to use his position of chief to get favored treatment. The council members have been fighting the mayor since before he even took office, you have several current and former employees sueing for millions, Is anyone surprised there is a shortage of officers?
Hang in there Cy Sun, I totally support all your actions as Mayor. Â KOMO is the most biased, one sided, half baked truth news reporting I have ever read. Â I think Mr. Eldridge is an asset for Tracy Apata slanting the city activities however he is directed to do so by Ms. Apata and the City Council. Â I voted for Mr. Sun once and will proudly do so again.
Okay - I'll be the one to point out the bias in this story. Â 1. Â The restaurant (the ONLY restaurant) to be broken into is owned by Tracey Apata, the head of the Recall Mayor Cy Sun campaign; 2. Chief Calkins was fired for valid reasons, reinstated because of a technicality, and that reinstatement is being appealed - he's playing the "I have medical damages and now the City is going to pay me a lot of money card;" and 3. The recall effort has stalled and probably won't happen. Â
 @ScaredinPacific So you're saying Cy Sun sent someone to break into Tracey's restaurant in retaliation? That's what it sounds like, and you support that? I think the town of Pacific needs to be shut down completely and someone needs to start over. There needs to be a major house cleaning and a little chlorine dropped into the gene pool.
 @citizen kane  @ScaredinPacific He is simply stating Tracey Apata may not be an unbiased source.
 @al_wa I mean, think about it.  All of the criminals in the City of Pacific, being as smart as they are, have been sitting around waiting for the police number to go from 11 to 4 and then, pounce, like the slick criminals they are, on the restaurant owned by a Mayor Sun opponent.  Convenient.
@citizen kane @ScaredinPacific
Ummm, I think he's actually insinuating that the break-in may have been staged by Apata to underscore her concerns about safety. (It's certainly a plausible theory, given that nothing was taken or vandalized.) In any case, the statement that "It tells me the preventative measures that were in place when we had enough officers were working," sounds like BS. What were they doing before that they're not doing now - 24/7 surveilance of the DQ? It only takes a few minutes for a break-in.
 @Central   That's what I'm saying - I don't believe for a minute Tracey Apata's restaurant was broken into - she has been proven to say and do anything to put Mayor Sun in a bad light.  And what safety  measures is she talking about pre-Mayor Sun?  Tracey Apata is biased and will say and to anything she can to advance the Recall Mayor Cy Sun initiative.
Man, this mayor obviously not afraid to show his true colors on camera apparently. Not hard to believe why the city fell apart under that guy.
Those poor officers in Pacific. I think they should work their regular 40 hour week and then if they choose to work any additional overtime they can do so. Â It's a job and not their life. Â You can't provide 24/7 protection with their limited staff so don't. Â You get what you get. Â No cops = no cops. Â The community lives with the consequences. Â The voters know what to do if they really care. Â I would work with a partner for my own officer safety and then go home.
They both need to be fired.
I'd think the biggest problem Pacific has is the voters who elected the mayor. The rest followed.
Nice headline KOMO. How does two burglars that fled, empty-handed, before police arrived, constitute a plaque.
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Perhaps Keith Eldridge should talk to other folks than Tracey Apata and John Calkins. Maybe if he gave the mayor a fair shake Cy would talk with him.
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Now that Sultan & Granite Falls have slipped below the fold, this is the best comedy outside a theater today. I love these little small town spats. Right now all I can say is; poor little cops. Did you get your wittle feewings hurt? Perhaps they need to contract with the Sheriffs office and stop recruiting in San Francisco.  On second thought, keep it rolling. We need more humor in the so called news.   Â
 @oldster70 Nothing, other than the chief is wrong with the Pacific Police Department. They do a pretty darn good job. Calkins is the problem, that he why the mayor fired him. To bad it didn't stick. With the civil service system the way it is, firing anyone is next to impossible.
@al_wa
The first thing to cross my mind was; heck I would take one of those jobs. But then I am too old. As for the rest of the force, it is a whole lot easier to work for a boss with balls. I hope the last 4 officers read your comment. It sounds like they needed it. I liked your comment and so I say, keep up the good work officers and I hope this mess straightens itself out soon.Â
The city could fix all its financial problems by turning this into a reality show. I'd watch.
@Good News
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It already IS a reality show. It comes on at 5:00 PM. Bring your own popcorn.
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What struck me about the headline is that, not only is there a shortage of police officeRs in Pacific, there is apparently a shortage of R's as well. (You'd think they would have corrected the headline when it was updated.)
 @Good News Ha Ha....I would probably watch it too!
Tracey Apata?
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Isn't she the one that has a personal agenda against Mayor Sun? "KOMO" how about interviewing someone who isn't one-sided?
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Pacific Police no time to fight crime in the early mornings, but have all morning long to idle in their cruisers at the BigFoot Java, which is across the street from Tracey's "Dairy Queen".
 @Too funny! "Surveillance video captured two burglars breaking into a Pacific restaurant this week. They scurried around, looking for cash. They eventually fled, empty-handed, before police arrived."
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Looking for cash? Who's assumption is that? Tracey's? Could they have been looking for something to steal that wasn't cash? Maybe they had the munchies for a Buster Bar, and or a Blizzard Cake! Were looking for anything that has copper in it? Gee, maybe they just wanted to use the bathroom.
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"It tells me the preventative measures that were in place when we had enough officers were working," said restaurant owner Tracey Apata.
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What preventative measures were those, Tracey? The surveillance cameras? Have they been in place for the last 9 years? Your friendship with Pacific's Police Chief? No alarm system to signal the police?
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Looks more like dumb criminals randomly hitting her fine establishment, not smart criminals.
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Pacific needs to disband their Police Department and contract for services from the Sheriffs Office. Too many problems to keep going n their own.
"Pacific Police Chief John Calkins, who just recently took medical leave under doctor's orders due to stress."
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Seems like the one under the most stress by far is Mayor Cy Sun and the 80 year old veteran is holding up pretty darn good. Sound like the chief should get fired again. This time for desertion in a time of need.
Time for some volunteer citizen peace officers.
Maybe Sun and the city council should pass a law that all citizens be armed 24/7. If the city doesn't have money it is hard to pay staff.