SHERIFF'S: Opposed to upcoming ballot

Just for the record, I spent 31 years as a law enforcement officer and a command level Captain with a medium size police department in California. Many were the times that I poured over statistics, crime trends, requests to City Council for additional manpower and justifications for the same. My family and I have lived in Hayden for 17 years and have enjoyed professional and timely response to problems from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s agency. Their response has been timely, dispatchers have been very helpful, and I have noted with pleasure the patrol vehicles that always seem to be traveling the local roads.

That being the case, I find myself totally opposed to the upcoming ballot to almost double our law enforcement cost with the addition of deputies who just are not needed or justified by current crime trends. This seems to be inventing a financial solution to a problem that does not exist. I fully agree with the opinion of Councilman Matt Roetter in his analysis that crime trends “show a downward trend in severe crimes and a slight upward trend in less severe crimes. We’re doing OK.” To interpret current crime trends as justification for a huge increase in law enforcement costs is way off course, and residents will be socked with large future tax increases.

Folks, if I thought for one second that my law enforcement brothers and sisters needed more help to handle the workload, I would be the first to vote Yes. I don’t see this at all, and the statistics are pointing in the direction that Councilman Roetter points out. I cannot support this measure under the current circumstances.

DAVID COPPOM

Captain, Santa Clara Police Dept.

(Retired)

Hayden