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March 28, 2009 in City
Police image cited in review of vote
Separate other needs on ballot, officials say
The Spokane Police Department’s battered reputation may have hurt the city’s ability to win public support for new taxes, some elected leaders say.
Earlier this month, voters rejected an $18.5 million property tax, most of which would have paid for a new police evidence building. The measure received 51 percent support but needed a 60 percent supermajority.
“It became quite obvious that there was a very strong feeling toward the Police Department,” said Spokane City Councilman Steve Corker, noting the death of Otto Zehm and the shooting of Shonto Pete by an off-duty police officer.
The Spokane Police Department has faced heavy criticism since Zehm, a mentally ill Spokane resident, died in police custody in 2006. The criticism intensified the next year after an intoxicated Officer Jay Olsen shot Spokane resident Shonto Pete in Peaceful Valley. Olsen was found not guilty this month on charges related to the shooting.
Corker said the March vote suggests city leaders shouldn’t combine police needs with a fire bond expected to go to voters later this year.
He and other officials also say it might be worth asking voters for the money needed for an animal control shelter separately. About $4 million of the March tax proposal would have paid the startup costs for the city to transfer animal control duties to the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service.
“We should consider putting (the shelter money) on the ballot by itself to clarify what the citizens think,” Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin said.
She said police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick is working to address the department’s image problem by holding officers to high standards. She noted that the department recommended charges against Olsen and that Kirkpatrick has opened an internal investigation related to the shooting.
“We need to fix the perception problem,” McLaughlin said. “I know that Chief Anne will be honest and thorough and fair.”
Meanwhile, Kirkpatrick said she is opposed to her department taking over animal control duties.
City Councilman Bob Apple said this week that police may be needed to handle dangerous dogs because the city doesn’t have the money to expand the shelter.
“I would not like that. The reason for it is I have had that role when I was the chief of police of Ellensburg,” Kirkpatrick said. “It’s not an area of function I wish for the Police Department to take on.”
City leaders have debated for years how to handle animal control. Spokane contracts with the nonprofit organization SpokAnimal C.A.R.E., but that group has said it no longer wants to perform the function.
The City Council last year decided to contract with the county starting in 2010. But to move forward on the deal, the city needs $4.2 million to expand SCRAPS’ shelter on Flora Road and for other startup costs.
Mayor Mary Verner has said the city’s options include asking voters again for the money or downgrading the city’s animal control services. In an interview last week, Verner said a likely factor in the bond’s failure was that it was on the same ballot as much larger tax proposals from Spokane Public Schools.
If voters are asked again, she said, she would “give ourselves more time and possibly separate out animal control.”
“Had there been a more vigorous campaign, a better and longer opportunity to educate the community, maybe it would have passed,” Verner said.
MAC faces angry crowd 
Nate on March 28 at 8:52 a.m.
I voted no because of the lack of accountability we have in Spokane with our police department. If the animal control was on another bill I would have voted FOR that.
It certainly was not the money.
It is the fact we have no voice in Spokane when it comes to police screw ups. As long as this problem persists I will vote NO on everything the police want.
misjustice on March 28 at 12:04 p.m.
The lack of respect from the public that this police department has is sickening. People think they can defy law enforcement & have no consequences for doing so. If you aren’t breaking the law or acting suspicious, there is no reason to be stopped and/or detained.
I am a law abiding citizen who has been driving for 45+ years and has never had a speeding ticket or been arrested. I welcome the police and their questioning of suspicious activity. They hear stories every day that aren’t true. Even one where a young man stopped for speeding gave the officer a story about a dieing mother. He received a police escort to the hospital that was 4 miles away. After arriving at the hospital, they young man sat in his car trying to think of a way to tell the officer he lied to him. No dieing mom & no emergency.
Aggressive behavior is a red flag. Polite behavior usually gets you a pass & a warning with no beatings, restraints or shootings.
Whatever happened to respecting authority? Giving respect also begets getting respect. I stand behind the police in each of the circumstances recently in the news!
ChefGus/ John Olsen on March 29 at 10:32 a.m.
Well Gramma… I’d wager that you are white and live in a “nice” neighborhood ….. The police in this town routinely pull over… “talk to” and “check out” many many persons who are part of what I all “community of other”….. low income, disabled, mentally ill, persons of color, kids with “funny” clothes and hair etc etc…
I’d say let the police officers do the “dog catching” it might improve their accuracy if they have the small dogs that zip about and nip at our heals as we walk to the bus to shoot at…. I am not sure how you can approve of an off duty officer admitting to carrying a concealed weapon in to a bar, getting drunk, and then pursuing another person a mile and a half “afraid for his life”… shooting at the persons back…. come on out into the real world… john
jenny on March 30 at 2:19 p.m.
The police are abusing their authority if they are violating the policies while breaking the law. If an officer is drinking while in possession of their pistol they need to be fired. Hire the people who will follow policy. There are a lot of intelligent young men and women needing jobs. These new officers can get training and learn how to deal with situations and not over-react like the off-duty officer Olsen who was drunk and carrying his weapon against the policies then shooting an unarmed man and not contacting the authorities. They need to screen the applicants and not have nepotism and favoritism in the ranks. The “holier than thou” atttitude needs to be addressed. If an officer lies on the witness stand like that one Tucker in the Olsen trial, he needs to be fired and someone hired who does not abuse the authority of their job. Perjury needs to be charged for that is a crime. It makes the person in charge look bad.