Crime & Safety

University Place Could Hire Police Investigator

The UP City Council says it wants to look into hiring a police investigator, which would handle some of the followup work that officers currently are too busy to do.

The University Place City Council wants to hire a police investigator, but figuring out a way to pay the position could be another matter.

Tonight, city leaders discussed hiring a deputy with the to handle followup investigations for deputies working the street.

The hiring - which cover a contracted investigator's salary, vehicle, training, IT needs and other costs β€” would run the city an estimated $130,000 in 2011, and $145,000 the following year.

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Most on the dais tonight recommended paying for the expense - citing a , particularly for vehicle prowls. However, Councilman Javier Figueroa said in the big picture, University Place's crime is nowhere near the number of crimes in neighboring communities.

"I didn't hear from our citizens that there was a huge increase in crime," he said. "I just don't see adding another staff member to do that."

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But Councilwoman Caroline Belleci said part of the reason the community wants to hire a police investigator is so crime doesn't increase.

"We need to get on top of it now before it's a serious issue," she said.

Last month, the City Council learned that Part I property crimes increased by 20 percent, and vehicle prowls almost doubled from the year before. Also, the city has a minimum of two deputy working per shift instead of three, which means deputies have less time to do followup investigations themselves.

"It's huge," Chief Rusty Wilder said of getting a police investigator. "This is a piece we absolutely have to have."

Although the City Council agreed that it would like to continue discussing hiring a police investigator, it still has to find a way to pay for it. It will continue discussing the potential hiring this month.


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