Hayden city council cancels sheriff’s contract, leaving 17,000 residents without dedicated deputies

HAYDEN, Idaho — The Hayden City Council’s rejected the most recent contract offer with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.

The rejection of the offer will reshape law enforcement in the city of more than 17,000 residents starting next week.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office will still respond to 911 and emergency calls within Hayden’s city limits, but residents should expect longer response times. Without deputies specifically assigned to Hayden, the sheriff’s office will dispatch available units from across the county to handle calls in the city.

The city’s decision stems from concerns about service quality and accountability. A consulting firm hired by Hayden found that more than 60% of service hours provided by the sheriff’s office in the city were unaccounted for.

“They’re saying 61.2% of deputy time is unaccounted for. I could see 10% or 15%, but 60% is unacceptable. They don’t know?” said Council Member Matthew Roetter.

“With that contract not being renewed, the city will lose enhanced services, but will still be provided service by Kootenai County for public safety law enforcement services,” said Lisa Ailport, Hayden’s city administrator.

The city has not abandoned its goal of maintaining enhanced law enforcement services. Ailport indicated that Hayden officials are working to develop a new enhanced services contract with the sheriff’s office, though the timeline remains uncertain.

“We really are hoping that we can bring some solutions to council for consideration as soon as possible, but at this point, I don’t have a time frame,” Ailport said.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to requests for comment about the contract cancellation or its plans to adjust service delivery in Hayden.