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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Airway Heights to lend police sergeant to Medical Lake

Airway Heights will lend Medical Lake a police sergeant while that city either continues the search for a new chief or decides to contract the position out to another police department.

The Airway Heights City Council on Monday agreed to lend Medical Lake the services of Sgt. Greg Rogan, with Medical Lake paying his salary. Rogan will likely work at Medical Lake until December.

The Medical Lake City Council agreed at its meeting last month to have Airway Heights continue to pay Rogan.

Airway Heights police Chief Lee Bennett said that he misunderstood how long Rogan was going to be working in the Medical Lake, so the offer was made to pay for his time there in the spirit of helping neighbors. Bennett expected the agreement to last a month.

“Medical Lake has always offered to pay from the get-go,” Bennett told the council.

Councilmember Don Mitchell, however, was worried about the state of the Police Department that Rogan will leave behind.

“We’re not anticipating any overtime?” Mitchell asked Bennett. Bennett assured Mitchell that the force is fully staffed.

However, Rogan does have an application pending with the Spokane Police Department and might have to step down from his duties as police chief before his time at Medical Lake is finished.

Bennett said he has notified Medical Lake about Rogan’s application.

“Once he goes to Spokane, I don’t know if we can cover for him,” Bennett said. Bennett added that if Rogan leaves for Spokane, he will start the process of finding a replacement.

The council agreed unanimously to pass the agreement, with Kevin Richey and John Holloway absent.

“We’re very pleased to be able to help Medical Lake,” Mayor Matthew Pederson said.