[Vision2020] Re: Joint law enforcement center

[Jennifer McFarland]

 All:

Just to clarify a few issues that have been presented here:

1. We are not talking about combining the agencies along the lines of Latah
Metro.  I think I've used the analogy previously that it would be akin to
Macy's and Gottschalk's being housed in the same building.  They have
janitors that they share along with other mall staff, but both businesses
are independently governed.

2. We are at the point of doing a "needs assessment," meaning that we are
trying to determine what size of facility and what amenities it would need
to adequately house both agencies.  After a needs assessment is complete, we
would only then be able to determine if there is an existing building within
this jurisdiction that could house us or if building a new structure is a
better solution.

3. The Howard Street Verizon building had previously been considered when
just the Sheriff's Office was considering a move.  There were a number of
problems with that idea including that the actual square footage was not
significantly different from what we currently have, public access would be
limited because Verizon still has secured equipment in the building, and
brining it up to ADA requirements would have been difficult.  Another caveat
that was considered was the amount of traffic and noise it would bring to a
residential neighborhood with limited parking and ingress/egress.  The
Tidyman's building is just a building, not land.  The County/City would have
the building but not the land it is on as I understand it, if we went with
that particular option.

4. I've had a couple of off-list emails questioning whether or not we
actually have a problem with overcrowding in our current facility (County
only).  My office is located in "The Supply Room"; I share this room with
another deputy.  The Investigations division is located in an office about
the same size as my mom's walk-in closet.  It was originally intended to
accommodate one investigator; four are in there and the Sergeant has to have
a desk in a different room due to lack of size.  All five Sergeants share an
office that doubles as a briefing room (it measures about 13' by 14').  We
have no interview room adequate to conduct an interview with a child or to
interview multiple witnesses/suspects, and thus use interview rooms at other
agencies (both MPD and Health and Welfare depending on the nature of the
interview).  We have no room large enough to hold a training session and
either have to compete with other courthouse entities to use their office
space for meetings or have to rent space at remote locations.  We have
several storage units we rent to accommodate both evidence and supplies
located throughout Moscow and the surrounding area.  If the School Resource
Officer needs to find coloring books, he has to go out to the storage unit
and sift through boxes and stacks of equipment to locate his supplies.
There is no locker room for female officers/employees.  Yes, I think we are
overcrowded, but I would be happy to give anyone a tour of the facility if
they still question this.

5. How we would pay for the facility and what positions would be funded and
by whom, are still yet to be determined.  The sales tax option which puts an
additional 1/2 percent sales tax is the prevailing idea, to my knowledge.
This measure would go to the ballot prior to implementation.  Idaho law
already sanctions the measure for building jail facilities and the like.  If
this option were used, half the monies would go to property tax relief and
the other half to building the facility.  This is outlined better in the
Sheriff's Office Newsletter available on our web site.

I'm glad to answer any questions as are Chief Weaver and Sheriff Rausch.
Thank you for picking up this thread.  The ideas, opinions, agreement and
dissent are all valid and welcomed discussion.  I look forward to hearing
more.

Sincerely,
Jennie


PIO Jennifer L. McFarland
Latah County Sheriff's Office
Public Information Officer
PO Box 8068
Moscow, Idaho 83843
(208) 882-2216
Fax (208) 883-2281

Truth is the summit of being; justice is the application of it to affairs.
***Ralph Waldo Emerson