Hayden to consider creating police department

HAYDEN — City Council members voted Tuesday to create a committee to explore the idea of developing a Hayden city police department rather than continuing to pay the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office for police coverage.

The decision Tuesday was a condition of approving a five-year plan for law enforcement that included possible price increases and future levies.

The council members accepted the plan, but initiated steps toward independence from the sheriff’s office.

“I’ve been made aware of some numbers increasing — what I consider extremely high — increases,” Councilman Ed DePriest said. “It’s pretty obvious to me, that in my opinion, it’s not going to be that long before we are paying for sheriff’s service what we could have our own police department for.”

DePriest proposed forming a police department as a long-term solution to climbing policing costs.

“We did a study a few years ago on having our own police force, and it was cost-prohibitive,” Councilman Roger Saterfiel said. “But as I have been paying attention with the negotiations, the paperwork, everything involved here, I wholeheartedly agree with council member DePriest. I just think we need to be in charge of our own destiny.”

The committee will explore new funding options like grants or impact fees and will seek feedback from the public for the process.

“There are some really good grants for cities to start their own police department,” Council President Matt Roetter said. “And there’s probably enough money in a grant to fund a police department for three years for your equipment and your deputies.”

Councilwoman Sandra White was opposed to creating a police department and cast the dissenting vote.

“I believe we should have a constitutional sheriff,” she said.

She later added council members should trust the sheriff.

“We have to trust when we do work with other taxing entities,” Roetter said. “But we also have to verify. That’s a principle in business and in life.

“It’s been quoted that the sheriff believes we should have 26 deputies. The sheriff currently has between 50-60 deputies for the whole county. Does that mean we need half of their deputies to patrol Hayden? I believe that’s where this plan is going.”

A committee would give the community an opportunity to provide feedback on the future of law enforcement in Hayden.

“The people of this city voted via their taxes to have more law enforcement,” Saterfiel said. “I think it's the only right thing to do to have them present and get their input.”

The council approved a contract with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office last month to add six deputies to Hayden. The contract outlined terms for a levy passed in November to have 10 deputies assigned to Hayden for 24-hour coverage.

The contract with the sheriff’s office was expected to go into effect Oct. 1, but still needs to be approved by county commissioners.