Shoreline Council Preview: Police and Public Safety Costs Up for Discussion

The Shoreline City Council will discuss criminal justice services and costs at tonight's meeting starting at 7 p.m. at Shoreline City Hall.

The city's 2012 budget for criminal justice services is $12,128,325, about $1 million more than in 2011, when the expenditures totaled $11.2 million.

The city’s criminal justice umbrella includes the following five services: police, jail, municipal court, prosecution, and public defense, according to a city staff report. The cost of providing criminal justice services has averaged approximately one third of the City’s general fund expenditures over the last eight years, which equates to an average of $10 million annually. The city contracts with the King County Sheriff's Office for police services. Shoreline is King County's largest contract city.

The 2012 Criminal Justices Budget breaks down into the following categories.

•Police: $10,506,781

•Court: $75,000*

•Jail: $1,176,596

•Prosecution: $151,320

•Public Defense: $218,628

Total: $12,128,325

*The courts figure is a net cost. Court expenditures in 2012 were budgeted at $700,000 and court revenues were budgeted at $625,000.

The Council will also vote on the following consent agenda items tonight:

•Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Construction Contract with Pellco Construction in the amount of $344,625 for the Briarcrest Safe Routes to School Project

•Approval of Ordinance No. 646 Amending the 2012 Budget and Fee Schedule