As he takes the helm of the Vancouver Police Department, Troy Price faces significant challenges. Fortunately for our community, he appears to have the necessary attributes for dealing with the preexisting issues.
Price has been appointed as the city’s police chief by City Manager Lon Pluckhahn. Price has served as interim chief since Jeff Mori retired in October, and Monday will mark his first day without the interim tag.
Most importantly, Price brings stability to the department, having served with Vancouver police since starting as a patrol officer 30 years ago. He was the only finalist for the job as chief, and he was endorsed by Mori.
“Deputy Chief Price has been with me since my first day with Vancouver Police and our values are aligned,” Mori said. “We both believe police officers should lead with compassion and empathy.”
Those traits will need to be developed under challenging circumstances, including a staffing shortage. Washington has the nation’s lowest per-capita rate of law enforcement officers — and Vancouver has a lower rate of commissioned officers than similar-sized cities in the state. A property tax levy on last month’s ballot, designed to increase staffing for the department, was rejected by voters.
Price can play a role in mitigating the shortage. It will be important for law enforcement leaders — along with elected officials — in Vancouver and Clark County to work together on strategies for attracting qualified candidates. The task should be made easier by the establishment this year of a police training academy in Vancouver.
Meanwhile, public relations also will be an important part of Price’s work. It is likely that the city of Vancouver will again ask voters for a tax levy to fund additional police officers. Voters will want to see engaged law enforcement and will want to hear a compelling case for why more officers are needed as they consider such a measure.
It is a fact of police work that public attention increases when controversy arises. A police shooting or an accusation of excessive force often overshadows the prevention of crime, the arrest of suspects or compassion toward victims — acts performed by officers on a daily basis.
In this regard, the Vancouver Police Department has made strides in terms of accountability. Body cameras and dashboard cameras have been added, helping to provide information when concerns arise regarding police actions, and the Legislature has passed bills to increase scrutiny of law enforcement. As the face of the department, Price must emphasize such accountability and continue to build public trust.
Further emphasis should be placed on training. De-escalation tactics have received renewed emphasis from law enforcement throughout the country, and any tactic for reducing the number of incidents that result in the use of deadly force should be explored.
Such an incident occurred Wednesday with a fatal police shooting. A full and transparent investigation would demonstrate responsive leadership on the part of the new chief.
These recommendations would continue the good work and the improvements demonstrated by the Vancouver Police Department in recent years. After a tumultuous period in the early part of this century, the department has been steadied over the past decade under reliable leadership.
Price said: “I’m humbled by this opportunity and look forward to making Vancouver the safest urban city in the state of Washington.” His experience and his familiarity with the department and its officers suggest that such a goal is attainable.
