As calls rise, police seek new officer

Kalispell Police Chief Roger Nasset said that three additional officers would be optimal for the department’s needs. Right now, it’s unclear whether he’ll get one.

“We’re really trying to get back to our staffing level of 2008,” he said.

During budget deliberations, it will be up to the Kalispell City Council to determine if a new officer will be able to hit the streets.

Calls coming into the Kalispell Police Department have steadily increased over the years. The number of officers has gone down, however slightly.

Nasset provided the numbers.

In 2005, the department received 21,400 calls for service. That number increased to 26,600 in 2007, and two more officers were added to the force in a two-year span.

At that time, Kalispell had 36 officers. But the economy turned downward and the department had to eliminate one position within a year.

That level of 35 officers stands today, but the number of calls for service has jumped — 30,806 in 2014. That’s an average of 84 per day, and Nasset said that 2015 has already brought spikes in excess of 100 calls per day.

That might be the new norm.

“Now it’s starting to [level out] where there aren’t huge spikes anymore,” Nasset said.

Kalispell has grown geographically as well. The same number of police officers served the city before the development explosion on the north side. Now, Nasset said the level of calls almost forces the department to keep an officer there at all times.

To patrol that area for 20,000 Kalispell residents is one thing. But Flathead County is uncommon with a larger population out of cities who regularly come to town. Some of them may require police help.

To Nasset, the force isn’t equipped for that level of service.

“There’s no doubt that it’s not,” he said.

KEN YACHECHAK owns various commercial properties in Kalispell and he’s pushing for a larger police force.

Last month, he walked through one of his properties, pointing at various buildings and noting places where locks have been cut, things have been stolen and vagrants have slept.

Kalispell has seen an increase in commercial break-ins and thefts.

“The last two or three weeks have been brutal,” Yachechak said.

He’s in the process of outfitting his properties with high-tech camera systems for thousands of dollars.

He already has spent on locks, fencing and lights, but criminals can get creative.

He approached the City Council in May to lobby for a larger police force. Even if it means that property owners pay a little more, Yachechak said he feels Kalispell is at a point of necessity.

“The city has to come off dead center and deal with some of these social problems,” he said.

THE KALISPELL City Council met with Nasset on Tuesday to go over the proposed police budget, which currently doesn’t include any additional officers. But that topic dominated the discussion.

It costs about $76,000 to fund an officer’s yearly salary and benefits. The budget draft doesn’t have space for an additional position without reaching into cash reserves, but the tenor of many council members was in favor of at least one new officer.

“I think we need to pursue the budget and I think we need to budget for that one officer,” council member Tim Kluesner said.

The city has an opportunity for a federal grant through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, an arm of the Department of Justice.

The grant would pay up to $125,000 over three years. Local money would fill the rest for a full-time police officer. That man or woman would potentially help fill out the night shift and allow for more patrol flexibility.

The concern of city officials is that the grant runs out. Without the money to fill the gap, the city would need to let go of a full-time position or dip into reserves.

The hope is that through growth of the tax base or leaving a retiree’s position unfilled, the position could remain in the budget after the grant term ends.

Those options aren’t certainties, but officials were positive, if not cautious, about utilizing a limited grant.

“It’s a good start,” council member Wayne Saverud said. “I think we have to do it.”

The council will have the chance to approve a preliminary budget on Monday, with the officer line item under consideration.

Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.