Despite Prop A’s failure, police will continue to provide strong public safety | GUEST OP

Published 5:09 pm Wednesday, November 19, 2014

By Ken Thomas
For the Kent Reporter

I’d like to thank everyone who voted to support Proposition A, a bond measure that would have allowed the construction of new public safety and training facilities for Kent’s growing police force.

While the election results came up short of the needed 60-percent threshold, I’m pleased the majority of Kent voters supported this effort.

The No. 1 priority of the police department is to keep our community safe, and my job as the police chief is to support our officers and staff in achieving this goal.

Proposition A would have provided the following tools, and unfortunately, the need remains.

• Consolidating our police force to one location would improve the communication that’s critical to intelligence-led policing – our strategy to focus resources on high crime areas and high impact criminals.

• Adequate space would help increase victim privacy.

• Realistic training facilities would better prepare officers to address critical, and often dangerous, incidents.

• Additional crisis cells would allow us to serve our mentally ill inmates with more respect and dignity.

The men and women of the Kent Police Department truly care about this community. They should have the most effective means and tools possible to keep Kent safe.

That’s why I will ask our city leadership to bring this measure back to the voters for a second look. I am committed to help the public understand the need and move forward.

In the meantime, we will, to the best of our ability, provide the superior public safety services that Kent residents have come to expect.

Reach Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas at 253-856-5800 or kthomas@kentwa.gov.