Deputies, city debate training at center
The conflict over police training in Spokane Valley’s CenterPlace community center grew more intense Tuesday at the City Council meeting, with a roomful of Sheriff’s Office supporters urging the city to change its policies, and the Community Colleges of Spokane recently threatening not to renew its lease.
“This is a partnership, a true partnership we have established,” Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said during the public comment period at Tuesday’s meeting.
A portion of the building is leased to the colleges, which last March subleased classrooms to the Sheriff’s Office for training sessions.
The sheriff’s training program has brought in instructors and police from around the region, including courses offered by federal agencies held in only a handful of locations nationwide.
The colleges didn’t inform the city of the sublease, though, and Spokane Valley officials have said they don’t believe law enforcement training meets the requirements of the bonds that were sold to fund the community center.
Additionally, gun classes, idling police cars and a vehicle search exercise with uniformed officers in the parking lot on the day of a wedding were among the things Parks Director Mike Jackson has said conflict with other groups renting space in the building.
The city has ordered that the sublease and training end, prompting a sharp response from the Sheriff’s Office and the college officials.
“If we cannot work together on this issue now, I think it is very unlikely that a long-term partnership is realistic. … Without a collaborative relationship, it will be very difficult for us to renew our lease when it expires in June 2010,” CCS Chancellor Gary Livingston wrote in a letter to Jackson last week.
What started as an administrative interpretation of city policies has now worked its way into the political arena.
“I think that this is a huge step in reverse of what that facility is earmarked for,” said Councilman Gary Schimmels.
Referring to the broad language in the city’s bonding documents for the facility, Schimmels said “If you look at that word, education, I think it’s pretty far reaching.”
Several sheriff’s deputies and SCOPE volunteers came to the meeting to try to persuade the city and the Sheriff’s Office to work out a compromise. Also attending was a representative from the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce who said the organization backs the sheriff’s classes because of the tourism revenue they bring in.
“I am very disturbed that we as a city have not ironed out what I think is a city problem,” said Councilman Bill Gothmann.
He referred to the eviction as a “black eye” on Spokane Valley when the council discussed a new marketing plan for the center.
Other council members asked city staff to bring back more detailed information from the city’s bond lawyer on whether the training is allowed.
The City Council didn’t make a decision to support or overturn the decision on the Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, but agreed to discuss further in a couple of weeks what the city should allow at CenterPlace.