Thurston County Sheriff’s Office facing budget cuts

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is facing budget cuts.

Sheriff Derek Sanders says the board of county commissioners is now directing the department to cut about $141,000.

That was lowered from $590,000 after the county agreed that detectives are 24/7 staff.

“After lengthy discussion, the county agreed that by nature of their work responding after hours to homicides, sexual assaults, shootings, and other emergencies that detectives count as 24/7 staff,” said Sheriff Sanders.

Sanders met with the team to discuss what services are on the chopping block.

Sanders says he will be providing a list of what incidents deputies will no longer be able to respond to.

He says cuts are also dependent on Proposition 1 — a public safety tax. Voters will be deciding on that in the Nov. 7 General Election.

In September, Sanders declared a staffing emergency because there were so many job vacancies due to everything from retirements to injuries and medical leave, to long academy wait times.

In 2023, the Sheriff’s office slashed training which required employees to work mandatory overtime to provide the full range of law enforcement services.

“Not only can we not afford to bury our employees for another year, but we certainly can’t do it with less funding or a net zero increase while absorbing increased costs for equipment and academy training,” said Sanders. “Absent additional funding, condensing services would allow us to properly train employees and reduce mandatory overtime.”

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