SPOKANE, Wash. – The City of Spokane officially launched a 30-day pilot program to increase police presence in the downtown area on Monday, deploying four to six additional officers daily who patrol by foot, bike and utility vehicles. The idea? Place officers where they’re needed most.
Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall stated, “The allocation of resources is aligned with the data, I want to put my resources where they matter the most, and so I have to look at the data for that.”
The initiative targets areas with frequent reports of crime such as drug use, vandalism, and theft. Erin Hut, the city’s communications director, explained, “We looked through our data and we are identifying certain locations downtown that have had high reported calls for service related to drug use, vandalism, thefts and malicious mischief so that’s kind of where we’re starting out.”
Nevertheless, some businesses outside downtown feel overlooked. Absolute Drug Testing, located in the North Central district, voiced concerns about ongoing issues at their site on the corner of Mission and Ash.
Missy Brum, a supervisor, expressed frustration over the persistent problems, “I just don’t know how much more we have to do, I’m to the point where I don’t want my staff to clean anything so the city can see what we’re dealing with on a daily basis.”
The company has faced challenges with loitering, litter, and drug paraphernalia. Brum reported finding a bag of suspicious white powder outside their building and emphasized the safety risks to her staff.
“Not only drugs and foils but it’s human feces,” she said.
Despite spending over $20,000 on enhanced security since 2020, crime remains a challenge for the business.
According to Spokane Police statistics, reported downtown crime show a 7.21% decrease over the past year, yet the North Central district, where the testing center is located, experienced a 5.35% increase. City-wide crime has declined by more than 12% in 2024.
If successful, Spokane plans to expand the downtown safety efforts to other areas, linked to an upcoming vote on a community safety sales tax.
Future expansions give Brum hope, “It brings us hope right? That if it works there, they’re going to bring it out to other places.” However, she notes that without resolution, the business may need to relocate or close to focus on their North Idaho locations.
