PORT ANGELES — Clallam County will continue using a contracted security service at the Clallam County Courthouse and Juvenile and Family Center due to 11 vacant deputy positions.
The commissioners sent out a call for bids at their Tuesday regular meeting. Bids are due by 10 a.m. Nov. 14.
The bid is for two armed security officers at the courthouse for eight hours a day, five days a week, and one armed security officer at the juvenile center for 10 hours per week, depending upon the court’s schedule.
The initial term will be a minimum of six months, which could be extended to 18 months. Duties will include access control, surveillance, emergency response, patrols, public screening, documentation and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies.
“While the initial contracts for this purpose were awarded in an expedited process due to emergency staffing levels that needed a timely solution, the continuation of these services requires formal bidding,” Clallam County Administrator Todd Mielke told the commissioners.
“The current security contract will expire Dec. 31 of this year. So, this item will seek bids for services starting Jan. 1, 2024,” he said.
In August 2022, the commissioners approved a contract with Norpoint Protective Services of Port Angeles through the rest of the year. The contract has been extended every three months through 2023. In February 2023, the contract was expanded to include the juvenile services building.
Chief Corrections Deputy Don Wenzl told the commissioners at their Oct. 10 meeting that despite recruiting efforts, he still has 11 corrections deputy vacancies and could lose another six or seven in the coming months, bringing vacancies up to 50 percent.
Clallam County Sheriff Brian King said recruiting is difficult because other law enforcement agencies can pay higher salaries than the county.
Jefferson County Administrator Mark McCauley wrote in a Wednesday afternoon email, “About 10 months ago we shifted from contracted security to using in-house sheriff’s deputies. We’re very satisfied with the change.”
Jefferson County Commissioner Kate Dean added in an email that, “We are not experiencing deputy vacancies currently, so we are in a good position to keep our folks in those positions.”
Jefferson County had used a private security firm for courthouse security since 2017. McCauley explained in August 2022 that the county went that route at the time because it was more a cost-effective solution than adding staff in the sheriff’s office.
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at brian.gawley@peninsuladailynews.com.
