SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Police Department, Spokane Fire Department, and the Spokane Mayor are partnering to reduce crime and other challenges in Downtown Spokane.
According to a release from the Spokane Police Department (SPD), Chief Keven Hall, Spokane Fire Chief Julie O’Berg, and Mayor Lisa Brown developed a pilot program that will reduce crime and improve outcomes for all.
The pilot is short-term, with a schedule of 30 days and is called the “Crisis Outreach, Response and Engagement” (CORE) Plan. CORE will consist of law enforcement, alternative response and outreach to target effective engagement, crime reduction and improved outcomes.
“This new pilot is designed to ensure every member of our community feels supported and safe. This plan combines both qualitative and quantitative strategies – putting more feet on the street, enhancing coordination across teams, and using our resources in a targeted, data-driven way. I am confident this approach will allow us to respond to challenges more effectively while fostering a safer and more connected community,” Mayor Lisa Brown said.
SPD said they will respond with more co-deployment teams of first responders and behavioral health providers. These behavioral health providers come from the Behavioral Health Unit, Behavioral Response Unit and CARES Team. Two additional Behavioral Health Units will be deployed to downtown Spokane.
According to SPD, officers will be on bike and foot patrols to enforce place-based policing. This is a data-driven policing approach that helps identify where and when a higher crime risk exists.
“By leveraging data and deploying officers on bike and foot patrols, the Spokane Police Department is aiming to build stronger relationships in the community, increase visibility, and address the root causes of issues in our most challenging areas,” Chief Hall said.
According to a tweet from Mayor Lisa Brown, they are increasing SPD patrol by 120% and will have 26 uniformed officers deployed downtown every 24 hours.
