PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Police Department will get two additional officers after a 4-3 vote last week by the City Council.
The extra positions will increase the staff from 14 officers to 16.
The decision was made after a Police Department presentation to the General Government Committee of the City Council on the increasing amount of service calls that the department receives.
“Because of the increased number of calls and the details of each call, it has reduced officers’ free time to do proactive stuff,” Police Chief Conner Daily said.
The “proactive stuff” would entail random patrolling to increase police presence in the community, Daily said.
In 2002, the Port Townsend Police Department received about 4,300 service calls, and in 2005 about 6,500 calls were received, which doesn’t include responses initiated by officers, such as traffic stops.
The increase in service calls has put a heavy load on each officer, Daily said.
“The only thing people know about police investigation is what they see on television,” Daily said, where the criminal is booked, stands trial and goes to jail in less than an hour.
In reality, Daily said, an officer can spend up to five hours filing reports for one driving under the influence case and up to 12 hours on an identity theft case.
The additional two officers will add about $160,000 to the Police Department’s annual budget.
