Mark down Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas as one of local leaders pleased that King County officials backed off for at least a few months on a new book-and-release program at county jails in Kent and Seattle.
Thomas spoke out against the initial proposal that would have meant release from jail within hours for people arrested for stealing cars, vehicle prowls and other non-violent felony crimes.
County officials had planned to release, starting Feb. 1, anyone arrested for such a crime within hours rather than a few days after police officers bring them to the Maleng Regional Justice Center (RJC) in Kent or the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle. But after a week of objections to the proposal by elected officials and police chiefs, the county will look at other options to save money before implementing the book-and-release plan.
“We currently have the resources needed to maintain the operations without having to implement the jail population management plan until June 1,” County Executive Dow Constantine said in a letter on Wednesday to other county officials.
Thomas said the plan would send a bad message to thieves as well as officers who work hard to catch the criminals and put residents at risk of more crimes.
“I’m happy that Executive Constantine reconsidered his decision on this issue,” Thomas said during a phone interview. “Many of the cities in the county were opposed to the plan and we are all happy that Executive Constantine reconsidered his decision that could have had a significantly negative impact on residents of King County.”
The early release would cut costs by about $5.2 million over the next two years by keeping vacant units at each jail closed. County officials say they don’t have the money to open more units. The RJC jail has a capacity for 1,200 inmates but houses between 700 and 750 per day, Thomas said.
Police chiefs in King County meet once a month and were informed by county officials earlier in January about the jail release plan. Thomas then helped spread the word to the media about the proposal. Thomas said the chiefs prefer to be part of the county process to find answers to reducing jail populations by other means the book and release.
“As chiefs we should try to be part of the solution and are interested in working with King County to find reasonable alternatives to that plan,” Thomas said.
The crimes that would fall under the book-and-release policy include auto theft, fraud, gambling, hit and run, malicious mischief, perjury, reckless endangerment, stolen property, theft, vehicle prowl and drug possession.
Constantine said other alternatives under consideration to keep jail populations down include shortening the time between plea or verdict and sentencing to get inmates out of the county system sooner; shortening the time between first appearance and arraignment; reducing the wait time for county inmates who are awaiting mental health competency restoration because of the shortage of beds at Western State Hospital in Lakewood; and setting up a system so more individuals booked for failure to appear see a judge within a day.
But if those alternatives don’t bring inmate numbers down, the book-and-release plan might begin.
“Executive staff will continue to refine details of the book but not house concept for implementation after June 1 if we are unable to develop and implement other options,” Constantine said.
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