Bothell’s police and fire departments urgently need additional resources to serve and protect our community. While Bothell’s population increased by 15,000 since 2003, department staffs have been essentially flat due in part to the city taking no property tax increases for 8 years during the recession. Key public safety services are chronically short on staff and resources to address basic and emerging community needs.
Additional officers will increase neighborhood presence to deter crime. A dedicated community crime reduction team will focus on property crimes such as “porch pirates”, car prowls and traffic safety enforcement. Mental health and addiction crises will be served more effectively with a mental health staff member assisting police and a school safety and outreach officer. Proactive crime prevention programs and crime investigations will be improved with additional dedicated staff.
Fire department calls increased proportionally with Bothell’s growth, yet the department remains at 2003 levels, when the population was 33% smaller. This levy adds six firefighters and an aid car for quicker response times for emergency medical services, as well as critical support staff for the department.
More information, see: www.BothellPublicSafety.org
Please vote Yes to ensure high quality police and fire department services for our community.
Submitted by: Del Spivey, Cary Westerbeck, www.BothellPublicSafety.org
