Hayden may increase law enforcement

by David Cole
| January 25, 2011 8:00 PM

The Hayden City Council is scheduled to vote today on whether the city should enter into a law-enforcement agreement with Kootenai County, which would dedicate two deputies and patrol vehicles full time to the city beyond what is already being provided.

The City Council also will hear a presentation from Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene director Mac Cavasar about this year's event and the preparations that are being made.

Stefan Chatwin, Hayden city administrator, said the agreement with the county has been in the works a long time.

"We worked closely with the county commissioners and sheriff," Chatwin said.

"This is a win-win for everybody," said Kootenai County undersheriff Tad Leach. "The bottom line is it's two more deputies. It benefits everybody."

Leach said the city, with approval by the City Council, will get an additional 80 hours per week of coverage from sheriff's deputies, but Hayden in the future can elect to add to that with more deputies, detectives, and supervisors.

Chatwin said this is a more efficient way to provide additional law enforcement. Because of Hayden's low taxes, the city can't afford its own police department, he said.

"We have to be more creative and utilize an agency that already exists, that's competent and effective," he said. "The training is already there, and the administration is already there."

The council will vote today to give the mayor authorization to sign the agreement with the county. County officials have already signed on.

The city would be agreeing to pay the county about $192,600 to pay for two new patrol vehicles, all the associated equipment, and hire two additional deputies through Sept. 30 of this year. The patrol cars cost about $60,000 fully loaded with equipment, fuel and maintenance.

The city will also provide the county with office space, for no charge, at Hayden City Hall for use of the sheriff's deputies assigned to Hayden.

Once the cars are paid for, the city would pay the county $139,000 in subsequent years for the two deputies' services.