Tekoa holds off on more police

The Tekoa City Council will wait to decide on whether to add more patrol hours to its contract with the Whitman County Sheriff’s office.

The council discussed the matter at the Feb. 3 meeting and decided to hold off on a decision of whether to add 10 hours, because of the $25,000 per year added cost.

The council first discussed the matter Dec. 16.

The town now contracts with the sheriff’s department for 20 hours per week of patrols, paying $48,919 in 2020, an arrangement set in 2009, when the hours were cut by about half, saving the city $40,000 during the recession.

If the council does decide to add hours, it could be paid for with a budget amendment to transfer from the town’s general fund.

Aside from the sheriff’s patrols, Mike Bogenreif acts as the town’s code enforcement officer. He is also an officer on the Liberty Lake police department.