Washington State – Agencies all around Washington are exploring different ways to get mental health professionals involved in calls involving subjects in mental health crisis or with a substance abuse issue.

SPOKANE:

The Spokane Police Department, Spokane Valley Police Department, and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office have recently been praised by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) for their co-deployed behavioral health teams. WASPC shared their compiled data that showed Spokane had a successful November as far as keeping those in crisis or facing substance issues out of jails.

The three Spokane agencies mentioned work [...]

Spokane, WA – In August, Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward told police officers that were being let go due to defunding that they were welcome to come to the Spokane Police Department.

On a Facebook post in August, she said, “Other cities have taken a much swifter, more aggressive approach that has abruptly displaced officers and downsized departments. To officers who have lost jobs, Spokane has a message for you: we’re hiring.”

This past Monday, Mayor Woodward announced that four former Seattle officers had lateralled over to the Spokane Police Department. Mayor Woodward said, “Back in August, I let law enforcement know if their cities were [...]