Community watchdogs

HAYDEN — It's been an eventful year already for public safety in Kootenai County.

In Hayden, city staff are gearing up to reconvene a citizen task force on public safety to gather input from community members and keep Hayden City Council members abreast of nefarious activities.

The task force was in place before the COVID-19 pandemic. City officials are now ready to bring it back.

"We’ve had multiple requests from Sheriff (Bob) Norris to look at things," city administrator Brett Boyer said. "It made sense to put this back together."

During the City Council meeting Tuesday evening, Boyer asked City Council members for approval to reconvene the task force and inquired what direction the council preferred to take it.

"We usually have the sheriff folks come in and they talk about their patrols, what they’re seeing, what’s happening out there," Boyer said. "They gather information and say, ‘Hey, there's a need for this,’ or, ‘We should do this.'"

Hayden recently advertised for individuals to contact the city if interested in participating. Boyer clarified that this is not a volunteer officer patrol position.

“And we directed those that wanted to be a volunteer deputy to the sheriff’s office,” city clerk Abbi Sanchez said.

About 12 people, including several returning from the previous group, are already on the roster. The task force will also include two city staff members and two Hayden council members.

“I’d like to open it up,” Hayden acting mayor and City Council President Matt Roetter said, asking not to solidify the list quite yet. "Just to leave it open and see where it goes.”

Boyer said for those who were on the task force before, “it was very valuable to us to hear what was going on in our community as far as public safety and the sheriff’s office."

"I’m really grateful to all the citizens who signed up to do this," Councilwoman Sandra White said. "It’s exciting to see people who want to be active and help in the community.”

Council members requested more definitions, time commitment, goals and criteria be used in the recruitment process. Approval of the reconvening was tabled until the next City Council meeting March 22 to allow time for information to be gathered.

"I’ve been to the meetings where Sheriff Norris has voiced his concern for public safety in Hayden and his comments about what he would like to have,” Roetter said. "One of the main objectives of this task force in bringing information forward is how we have to work with this sheriff because we are committed in a contract with him now and I believe we have to going forward."

The basic process requires interested individuals to be at least 18 and to be Hayden citizens or property owners.

Hayden does not have its own police or fire department.