The two largest law enforcement offices on Whidbey Island are facing the loss of significant numbers of commissioned officers this year. For some departing Oak Harbor Police Department officers, the significant changes in laws regarding how police officers operate affected their decision to leave.
Oak Harbor Police Chief Kevin Dresker said “these changes do have a cost and they do affect staffing. They will have an impact on public safety.”
Island County Sheriff Rick Felici said there was a mixture of different reasons his department is losing 5 deputies this year and that none of the departing deputies cited the changes in the laws as reasons for leaving. Sheriff Felici did say that while there is confusion and uncertainty surrounding the new laws, the Sheriff’s Dept will continue to do common sense police work while the details are worked out. “We will continue acting from a perspective of public safety,” he said, “not from a perspective of politics or feelings.” For more details, see the story by Jessie Stensland.
