Begins its new contract with Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office

March 1 was the official start date of the new Granite Falls Police Department after the city signed a contract with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office to contract for police services.

Sheriff’s Sergeant David Bowman is now the new Police Chief in Granite Falls and is enthusiastic about this new adventure.

“I’m excited about working here in Granite Falls.  I worked in this area in patrol for the Sheriff’s Office and have always enjoyed it,” Chief Bowman said. “It is an honor to be chosen by Sheriff Trenary to be Chief, and I am finding working with city and community leaders rewarding.”

Bowman hopes to be able to continue working with the many citizens of Granite Falls who have been involved in the past and is looking forward to creating new relationships as well.

“I have a long track record of working to solve community problems, and am a huge believer in partnerships to achieve that,” he said. “This community has all the foundations in place (Community Coalition, Youth Coalition, Pilchuck Foundation, and many others) that will enable me to work with the community positively.

With any new adventure comes change and residents of Granite will see those changes when it comes to police vehicles and uniforms, but the excellent service citizens have received in the past will not change.

“The most visible change will be the patrol cars, uniforms, and faces here at the police department.  The regional contract model the city and county have entered into does not retain the city patrol car graphics or uniforms, so we will be driving marked Sheriff’s Office black and white patrol cars and wearing tan and green,” Bowman explained. “Also, for various reasons, there will be an all new crew at the police department.”

Bowman also explained how calls will be responded to both inside and outside of the city.

“The deputies assigned to the region will have patrol and call responsibility outside of town in the defined region.  Priority calls in the city will be dispatched to the nearest available unit, City or County.  Non priority calls in the city will wait for the contract patrol deputy to respond to,” he said.

The contract creates a true Sheriff’s Office substation within the Granite Falls city limits which includes access to all of the Sheriff’s office’s equipment and will save the city money as well.

“With the contract, the existing police department is being transformed into a true Sheriff’s Office substation with all the same equipment and supplies deputies have available at the North Precinct in Smokey Point, to include computer and phone access to the county network, SCSO supplies, and evidence booking.  This will likely cause citizens to see the same or more county patrol cars in the city using the facility,” Bowman said.