Mayor to discuss safety with public

Spokane Mayor Dennis Hession will hold a community meeting Thursday to discuss his public safety proposals.

Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick and Fire Chief Bobby Williams will be on hand.

Hession, who is up for re-election, announced last month that he supports hiring 24 additional police officers and 10 fire employees.

City Council members had criticized Hession for refusing to hire additional police and fire staff that the council placed in the 2007 budget. Hession said he put off those hires until a more comprehensive approach was written.

The policing plan is based on a neighborhood model dividing the city into eight areas. The fire proposal would create a three-person crew for hours when the department gets most of its calls.

The City Council has approved extra hires for the fire department but hasn’t reviewed proposals to add police.

The meeting is 6 p.m. Thursday in the City Council chambers at City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.