SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane City Council voted unanimously on Monday to approve a request for the Brown administration to extend the city’s contract with the Community Oriented Policing Services (C.O.P.S.) program.
The proposed extension would last three months and allocate up to $125,000 in funding.
The council’s decision directs Mayor Lisa Brown to negotiate the contract extension through the end of March 2024, ensuring continued funding for the C.O.P.S. program during this period. This extension will allow the program to remain operational while the city reviews its request for proposals (RFP) from community organizations seeking funding.
The RFPs are part of the city’s process to allocate funding to various local groups. The C.O.P.S. program, which focuses on building trust and collaboration between law enforcement and local communities, is among the services that will be evaluated during this review.
“This budget is our negotiated best effort to achieve public safety and acceptable service levels when we have less funds to work with,” said Council Member Kitty Klitzke. “I feel confident that C.O.P.S will continue to thrive as we support them through this transition to diversify funding services. Overall, responsible spending has been the focal point of this biennium budget, and we achieved that with the hard work of both the Council and the administration.”
This biennial budget will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, and encompasses 2025 and 2026. After Jan. 1, the Council will look to the administration to implement the approved budget.
