HAYDEN, Idaho — The city of Hayden can’t cover the doubled cost of law enforcement services that Kootenai County is demanding for police coverage through the sheriff’s office.
For decades, Kootenai County deputies have patrolled Hayden through a shared resources model funded by both the city and county.
However, recent contract negotiations have fundamentally changed this arrangement, with county commissioners switching to a true cost model effective January 1.
The change requires Hayden to cover the full cost for its 10 dedicated deputies and a new police chief the city requested, raising next year’s officer labor costs from $1.04 million to $1.8 million.
The city says it cannot afford the dramatic increase, given its current tax base, and claims it can only afford five deputies within its budget.
“We’re seeing a large increase in costs potentially over, you know, a 3-to-5-year timeframe. How do we position ourselves in a place that has us less reacting to it and more or less planning for it?” said Lisa Ailport, Hayden’s city administrator.
The previous shared resources model allowed the county and city to split costs, but that arrangement is now gone according to Ailport.
“What does law enforcement services look like for Hayden in the future, and let’s start getting organized and disciplined around this,” Ailport explained.
Because of this drastic price increase, the city is now considering exploring other possible options for its policing future.
That includes a few scenarios, such as maintaining the partnership with reduced funding, creating its own police department, or seeking additional taxes from residents through a ballot measure.
To make an informed decision, Hayden hopes to hire a consultant with city council approval for unbiased advice. The assessment will include determining the city’s policing needs, including whether it needs more officers and how much each future policing option would cost.
“The hope is, is that, if we’re asking for potentially a ballot measure or, or educating our public about, our future needs in law enforcement, we would want this done within the next six months,” Ailport said.
David Hagar, a member of Hayden’s Public Safety Commission, supports the consultant approach.
“I think it’s a great idea. I think it’s really just going to look at what are the brass tacks of starting a department versus continuing with a contract,” Hagar said.
City officials emphasized they want to be proactive rather than reactive in addressing the funding challenge and planning for future law enforcement needs.
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