After setbacks, Spirit Lake Police Department rebuilds

SPIRIT LAKE — A lot can change in a year. Few know this better than Mike Morlan, the chief of police with the Spirit Lake Police Department.

In May 2023, former Chief Dennis Sanchez resigned — but this was only the beginning of the department’s misfortune.

A sergeant was put on administrative leave for an incident with his previous employer, then the interim chief left after about three months.

“There was no supervision whatsoever,” Morlan said. “Officers began to leave for greener pastures.”

When Morlan became chief in August 2023, the department had one remaining officer. 

The biggest problem this presented, according to Morlan, was that SLPD was unable to provide adequate coverage for the city. Weekend and overnight patrols were not feasible without the help of neighboring agencies, including Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.

With time and assistance, Morlan was gradually able to rebuild his police force. Now, 16 months later, SLPD has eight full-time officers and three reserve officers.

A full force now in place, Morlan said traffic safety and animal control are the department's primary concerns.

Morlan said the larger department hasn't resulted in higher property taxes. He said room in the budget was made possible by the police department, City Council, and Mayor Jeremy Cowperthwaite’s office coming together in sacrifice.

“Everyone had to tighten their belts,” Morlan said. “We’ve worked as a family to feel the pain together when it comes to that. We realize we’re a big chunk of the budget, and we have to be mindful of the money we’ve been allocated and be good stewards of that.”

Currently, about $680,000 is allocated for officer wages and benefits, with an additional $100,000 budgeted for department operations, according to Cowperthwaite. 

SLPD was also able to obtain federal funds through the American Rescue Plan Act, which supplemented the existing budget.

Morlan said there has always been money available to hire, but the department simply did not have candidates — largely due to bigger agencies offering more competitive pay.

“What’s amazing to me is the disparity across state lines especially,” Morlan said. “This affects all local agencies. We’re all trying to fill seats, and it’s very competitive.”

The City Council granted SLPD a slightly higher starting pay rate to attract candidates.

Entry-level officers receive between $23-25 an hour and can eventually earn up to $27 based on experience.

For Mayor Cowperthwaite, reworking the budget was well worth the effort.

“I’m very happy with who we’ve got and what the chief has built,” Cowperthwaite told The Press.

Many residents share a similar sentiment.

“Some of the best officers I’ve had the pleasure of meeting,” said Kathy Remsburg.

Despite the immense progress Morlan and SLPD have made, the chief has big goals in mind heading into the new year.

Morlan hopes to expand the force to 10 sworn officers in order to fill the remaining gaps in patrols.

“Unfortunately, right now it’s difficult for us to go 24/7,” Morlan said. While there is already an officer on call between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. nightly, he hopes to add a permanent overnight patrol.

The chief is also looking forward to building stronger relationships between department and community.

“Now that we have more officers, I’d like to take the time to go meet with business owners and citizens, and maybe have events like Coffee with the Chief to discuss issues so that we can be more attentive to individual needs,” Morlan explained.

Cowperthwaite shared the chief’s optimism for the future of Spirit Lake.

“When the chief and I talk, we’re unified,” Cowperthwaite said. “We can get together and talk through things ... today we’re doing the things to grow a better tomorrow.”

“Obviously we still have a lot of challenges, but I want the community to know that we’re going to continue to provide quality law enforcement,” Morlan said. “I want them to feel like they’re getting a bang for their buck and that we as a police department are accountable for their community.” 

    A Spirit Lake police officer conducts a traffic stop along HWY 41.