Sheriff’S Training Budget Increased Amid Criticism Commissioners Chide Sterk For Not Being Clear During Budget Process

Spokane County commissioners voted Tuesday to increase Sheriff Mark Sterk’s budget by more than $35,000 so he can send deputies and detectives to training seminars across the country.

Investigators, patrol deputies and sheriff’s administrators all will attend training seminars this year under Sterk’s current plans.

But the 2-1 vote to approve Sterk’s request came with a barrage of questions about his training plans and criticism about the second-year sheriff’s budgeting ability.

In December, commissioners approved about $20,000 for sheriff’s training. Sterk said Tuesday that was about $38,000 short of what he needed.

Sterk pointed out that the department’s training budget was cut 30 percent in each of the past two years.

“Most of these things are liability issues,” Sterk said Tuesday. “Every time we get sued, the first thing they subpoena is our training manuals.”

Commissioners upbraided Sterk for not making it clear during the budget process that he needed more money for training.

The sheriff did not include the extra training money in a budget request he submitted to commissioners late last year, according to county records. His total request at that time was for $23,780, which commissioners cut by about $3,000.

“If you definitely need this amount of money, you ask for it right up front and don’t let anybody tell you no,” Commissioner Phil Harris told Sterk. “There’s stuff that’s nice to have, and there’s stuff that you need to have. You’ve got to ask for what you need.”

Commissioners also questioned some of Sterk’s priorities and asked whether there were ways to cut training costs.

Commissioner John Roskelley wanted to know why Sterk was sending two and sometimes three people to certain training sessions. Three sheriff’s employees are scheduled to attend a command post operation training seminar that will cost $900 per person.

“I think there are too many detectives going on some of these things,” said Roskelley, who voted against the budget increase. “Can’t some of them go next year?”

Sterk said citizens and deputies could be put into danger if his people aren’t properly trained. The county also could face liability issues, he said.

“I don’t think you want someone sitting in a command post saying, `shoot’ or `don’t shoot,’ that doesn’t have the proper training,” Sterk said.

Commissioner Kate McCaslin was adamant that no county money be spent so a sheriff’s sergeant could maintain his certification as an attorney.

Sterk had asked for $750 so Sgt. Jeff Tower could attend a three-day seminar that would allow him to keep his legal certification current. Tower obtained a law degree in 1994 and provides the sheriff’s office with legal advice, especially on personnel matters, Sterk said.

McCaslin said the county has a human resources department and a civil attorney staff that have expertise in personnel issues.

“You should be taking advantage of those resources,” she said.

This sidebar appeared with the story:

AT A GLANCE

Training requests

In all, Sheriff Mark Sterk will spend more than $55,000 to send about 90 Sheriff’s Office employees to training seminars in 2000. Sterk is still working out the details of who will go where, but his current training schedule includes: Sending three deputies to Eugene, Ore., for three days to learn about hostage negotiations. Total cost: $1,668.

Sending three investigators to FBI headquarters in Quantico, Va., for the meeting of the International Homicide Investigators Association. Spokane’s serial killer will be a topic at the conference. Total cost: $2,644.

Sending six deputies to the state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission for a week to learn basic DARE training. Total cost: $2,370.