Othello Police Chief Dave Rehaume, left, and Assistant OPD Chief Aaron Garza, right, hang the plaque recognizing the OPD’s accreditation. Hiring additional officers statewide is the focus of a bill submitted for consideration during the 2025 Washington Legislative Session.
January 4, 2025
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January 6, 2025 3:30 a.m.
Law enforcement funding, recruitment, retention challenging
OLYMPIA — A proposal to allocate money to help hire additional law enforcement officers would address one part of a complex challenge – but recruiting isn’t necessarily the biggest challenge for Columbia Basin law enforcement agencies. That was the reaction of local law enforcement agencies to the proposed legislation.