La Center will be provided two deputy sheriffs for law enforcement services while the City and Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) work out the details of a permanent agreement.
On Wednesday, Feb. 28, La Center’s City Council unanimously approved an interagency agreement with CCSO for law enforcement service.
The city, which no longer has its own police force, aims to have a fully supported staff. Meanwhile, the city has contracted officers from around Clark County, paying them overtime, to provide law enforcement to residents while permanent arrangements are made. La Center initially chose to contract with the Cowlitz Tribe for a permanent arrangement but abandoned those discussions earlier this year.
La Center Mayor Tom Strobehn said that officers on overtime normally paid receive time and a half of their hourly rate.
“It’s an expensive [solution],” Strobehn said. “You’re not getting 24/7 coverage of an officer sitting in your city. You’re getting an officer whenever there’s one that wants overtime.”
Phil Sample, a CCSO commander, has been operating in La Center since late January. During the City Council meeting, last week, Sample said that, per the agreement with the city, both deputies will operate as day-shift officers. He noted that the city may still need to pay officers from different departments overtime as they work toward a final agreement.
“I think initially there might be some overtime (pay) to help fill the gaps here and there that we need,” Sample said. “Overall, the plan is to be able to staff it fully with [sheriff’s deputies], that way we can cut the overtime and just come from one source right here.”
Strobehn said he does not know when a final contract will be approved. Strobhen said that interim La Center Chief Bob Richardson will work part time after he retires to help negotiate the final contract with CCSO.
“This was brought to us last Friday, and we went ahead and pushed forward to get this contact for the city,” Strobehn said. “We believe it’s the best interest [for] the city to have officers again.”
In a presentation before the council, Richardson reported eight crimes were reported in La Center in January 2024, one more than the city received in 2023. Of the reported incidents, CCSO deputies responded to three.
January had one home burglary, one theft of clothing during someone’s move, one porch pirate incident, one identity theft, one cyber threat and one firearm stolen from a vehicle. No arrests were made in January of 2024, compared with two arrests made in January 2023.
