Beginning March 31, Clark County patrol deputies will no longer respond to calls for several different types of service
Clark County Sheriff Chuck Atkins issued a statement Monday (March 14) announcing service cuts by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office due to staff shortages.
Beginning March 31, Clark County patrol deputies will no longer respond to calls for several different types of service. Sheriff Atkins has urged members of the Clark County Council to take immediate action on suggested staffing solutions.
Here is Sheriff Atkins’ full statement:
“In a press release in July 2021, I expressed concern about the increasing trajectory of crime in Clark County and decreases in our staffing. We have reached a point where it has become critical in alleviating the strain placed on too few available deputies for the number of calls for service. Service cuts are required, particularly on lower-level issues. I have presented the Clark County Council options to help give immediate relief to our staffing shortages in all branches, in addition to long-term solutions. As of this date, the council has not implemented or enacted any of the suggested changes to help with this staffing crisis. We can no longer sustain the patrol calls for service workload with the current deputy sheriff staffing shortage.
“Starting March 31, 2022, Clark County patrol deputies will no longer respond to the following types of calls for service, as listed below. These calls will be diverted to our online reporting program or direct the caller to report the incident to our desk deputy during regular business hours.
“The service cuts are as follows:
· Theft of property under $750 (misdemeanor) where there is no suspect information (this does not include robberies or theft of vehicles or guns)
· Theft from a vehicle where there is no suspect information
· Minimal damage and/or graffiti to property where there is no suspect information
· Minor crimes (property damage, behavorial issues, mutual fighting) involving juveniles at our local schools, when restorative justice measures and administrative measures are available to the school
· Non-life-threatening harassing phone calls (does not include incidents that are related to domestic violence and/or stalking)
· Fraud, scams, or identity theft, less than $5000 (victims can utilize online reporting)
· Simple assaults reported after they have occurred, where there is nothing beyond transitory pain or minor injuries
· Reports that do not require immediate police presence and/or enforcement of criminal law (information only reports)
· Lost/found property that does not represent a safety concern for the public or an imminent threat (this does not include dangerous drugs or weapons found)
· Trespassing where the property owner does not want to press charges
· Trespassing on public lands, forest property, county property (unoccupied), and state-owned property
· Minor traffic and/or parking complaints, and neighborhood problems with no crime nexus
· Welfare checks on homeless persons or mentally ill persons where there has been no observed crime and no imminent threat to the public
“Never in my forty-year law enforcement career, until last year, would I have imagined the Clark County Sheriff’s Office having to take such measures. As a public safety servant, I am responsible to ensure that we have the resources necessary to fully serve the public safety needs of the Clark County community. I have communicated to the County Council the urgency of taking immediate action with staffing solutions so that we can adequately protect and safeguard our community.’’
Information provided by Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Staffing has been an issue since Atkins took office over 7 years ago. He ran on promises of increasing staffing that never materialized. There was a bump at one point, but nothing that ever made the patrol staff healthy. A lot of the finger pointing at the County Council is justified, but his lack of vision, leadership, and being ill prepared for the job of Sheriff, has also contributed. He waits until the last possible minute to make service cuts in the hopes of putting pressure on the County Council? He said in us above statement, “As a public safety servant, am responsible to ensure that we have the resources necessary to fully serve the public safety needs of the Clark County community.” He should have taken these steps the minute he was
sworn in.
Lucas had same problem…(see below)it starts at Governor and you’ll find they prefer to let Clark County become more like Seattle or mini Portland before they give state funds to manage crime.
The more democrats manage the more crime will run rampant.
https://www.columbian.com/news/2013/nov/10/clark-county-sheriff-funding-garry-lucas/
Just like at the federal and state level. Elections have consequences. STOP. VOTING. DEMOCRAT.
The beginning of little Portland… what is response from.Clark County Council?
Crickets. The Council hasn’t looked their constituents in the eye for over 2 years. The public isn’t being served
SMH !
I’ve spoken with a few deputies locally and common themes are:
Thanks to the newest restrictions (see J Inslee) put on law enforcement officers that hamper them performing law enforcement duties, there is an ever-present possibility that each and every time they put on the uniform, continued employment is in jeopardy coming from lawsuits over frivolous complaints.
Morale is at an all-time low due to working conditions and potential job loss. (see above)
Intervention is non-existent so an actual crime must occur before any officer-based actions take place. This effectively kills the thought of preventing crime before it happens.
Early retirements and lack of qualified applicants are increasing workloads.
Increase of new county populations place less officers available per resident counts.
I feel the CCSO is getting short changed and must work with what they are given for funding.
I also appreciate what our deputies are able to do to address the issues that help our neighborhoods, businesses, and families feel safe from ever-increasing crime.
Some folks may see this in a different way than I do, and that’s ok. I have had positive interactions with CCSO and that is what drives my opinion.
The same week CCSO announces cuts to the public they went to the Council and are preparing to open up new services to the jail for a methadone clinic. It’s complex but the public needs new leadership that will put them back in the drivers seat
Chuck Atkins needs to be flushed. I’ve never met such a weak sheriff. Poor leadership and lies sum up his tenure
A better suggestion is to not take any calls from liberals period. Those who voted for Jay Inslee. They are responsible for the shortage due to their “socialist/Marxist/communist” agenda. Problem solved.