LONGVIEW — The Woodland Police Officers’ Association is opposing considerations by the city of Woodland to contract with outside law enforcement for police services in the city.
The Woodland police guild and city are currently renegotiating their collective bargaining agreement, for which the guild said they requested a mediator “as they believed the city was failing to negotiate in good faith.”
In a press release Wednesday, the Woodland police guild criticized “the city’s interest in eliminating local law enforcement,” which it said only recently came to light during the guild’s contract negotiations with the city.
“Will Woodland residents have a say in any of this?” the news release questioned. “Currently, residents can voice concerns with the city council and administration, but will they lose their ability to give input if police services are administered through Cowlitz County?”
The city said in its own press release Wednesday that it is only “seeking information” about options for police services, “including contracting with outside law enforcement agencies” and that no decisions or actions have yet been taken.
The city’s press release cited “rising costs associated with maintaining a police department” and said, “These additional police expenditures must be balanced to their effect on other city programs.”
For 2018, the city spent $1,725,997, or about 31 percent, of its $5,584,419 budget on the police department, a 3.4 percent increase from the previous year.
Longview spent a similar percentage on policing for 2018: about 33 percent of its nearly $38 million budget.
The Woodland police guild said it encourages residents to attend the city council meeting 7 p.m. Monday at council chambers, located at the Woodland Police Department, 200 E. Scott Ave., where the topic of police services will undoubtedly come up.
