Sheriff: King County to hire 14 more deputies
SEATTLE - The King County Sheriff's Office will hire 14 more deputies in the coming months using money saved from the existing budget, Sheriff Steve Strachan said Friday.
Strachan said good budget management by his patrol operations command staff and sergeants have helped to keep overtime costs down. As a result, funds from current vacancies are being used for the new hires.
"Because of the good work of our people at the front lines responsible for managing day to day budgets, we can fill some of those vacancies and put more cops on the street," Strachan said.
He said the additional hires will increase public safety for King County residents.
The plan calls for hiring four new deputies through Oct. 31, then five in November and five in January 2013.
The Sheriff was joined by King County Executive Dow Constantine and Council Members Joe McDermott and Kathy Lambert in making the hiring announcement.
"I commend our sheriff for managing resources to hire these deputies and keeping public safety in our unincorporated neighborhoods as a priority," said Lambert, chairwoman of the Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee and representative of one-third of King County's unincorporated area residents.
"I appreciate Sheriff Strachan and his staff for piloting a lean project that cut the use of overtime, helped fill vacancies, and put more police on the street," added Constantine.
Strachan said good budget management by his patrol operations command staff and sergeants have helped to keep overtime costs down. As a result, funds from current vacancies are being used for the new hires.
"Because of the good work of our people at the front lines responsible for managing day to day budgets, we can fill some of those vacancies and put more cops on the street," Strachan said.
He said the additional hires will increase public safety for King County residents.
The plan calls for hiring four new deputies through Oct. 31, then five in November and five in January 2013.
The Sheriff was joined by King County Executive Dow Constantine and Council Members Joe McDermott and Kathy Lambert in making the hiring announcement.
"I commend our sheriff for managing resources to hire these deputies and keeping public safety in our unincorporated neighborhoods as a priority," said Lambert, chairwoman of the Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee and representative of one-third of King County's unincorporated area residents.
"I appreciate Sheriff Strachan and his staff for piloting a lean project that cut the use of overtime, helped fill vacancies, and put more police on the street," added Constantine.
14?it should be 41. one can only hope.
perhaps they can pick up the deputies Tacoma is laying off
This article just makes me feel so warm and fuzzy .... I could throw up! Maybe some of the overtime savings was because the deputies were asked to quit inflating their time cards to enhance their retirement. Whatever became of those fine officers?
The corruption will never end throughout the King County Sheriffs Department.
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Sure hire new deputies and corrupt them too right after we find that there is no system of accountability throughout the department.
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When human filth gets a badge everyone pays.
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"He said the additional hires will increase public safety for King County residents."Â
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I hope this means that they will be arresting more criminals and not writing more tickets...
 @noworries They are protecting you from yourself.
I like the addition of new officers... I myself wouldn't do the job these men and women already do everyday. Hell, I am afraid of the general public. In case nobody says thank you it's appreciated... I will.... Thank you!
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 @Stock Woodie Woodie... you're usually mellow! Get back on the decaf coffee!
Now if we can just get our Nations Government to use the same technique for reducing wasted spending.
Do they have the same hiring requirements as the WSP? If so good luck with that.
Much better than the other way around: "sorry we have to lay off 14 because we spent too much up until now". Which is what you normally hear/read.Â
Good timing, right around the election and all..