[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6257087,"mediaKeyId","3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1","parentId",3155089,"title","Auburn police present 2024 annual report showing more use-of-force reports, pursuit uptick and staffing turnover","audioSeconds",935,"startMs",163000,"endMs",1098000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1&start=163&end=1098","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1/thumbnail_163000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6257087/Auburn/King-County/Washington/Auburn-police-present-2024-annual-report-showing-more-use-of-force-reports-pursuit-uptick-and-staffing-turnover","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257087-206d9f7468e9dc1126cd263ebb482f3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164397&Signature=Sj1t2x0SS4Khdc1zrbr6QvLtJQslteQYeqXSvIAtxwtTuBdnSFUnKj8wuqW0L9N0Eumu0RlZKwG~TczqsYljXkJmk1aUW7T2K5BestqjxJdDZ4PvhEH2DI8ztua5DvbY1WyCXKxZ43eNCHxB8eGmNSd0Z~RDVkD6piWl0f2FNvcymF2VFkDfgM1S~Gn0WfKdxEjCVcynP7PtzqFCUvWQaIQ2CKYNk8HaOIFTqdzAZ-tvmTvM1xW9eB4v-gJQhoyDdRXeFImuHRffiOEpWbxCOAz8ZFWRkAkPxaPS9npHVWq2V4kBXEpaMpEXi-ePzmNGD2MoCNgjp1wJTq7EEJajOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Auburn City, WA","date","2025-04-30T07:58:50.027Z","article","Commander Sean Firo, Special Services Division commander for the Auburn Police Department, told the Auburn City Council study session on April 28 that the department’s 2024 annual report shows a rise in several enforcement measures, including use-of-force reports and pursuits, while also describing how training and policy review shape responses.

The report compared 2024 with prior years and showed 249 use-of-force reports, roughly 0.3 percent of contacts, and 52 police pursuits — a 205 percent increase from 2023. Commander Firo said the increase in pursuits followed a June 2024 state initiative that relaxed prior restrictions and allowed pursuit decisions to be made locally.

The numbers matter because they reflect both how often officers deploy force and how the department balances public safety and pursuit risk. “A CAD incident is any call that gets called into our dispatch center. It is requesting an officer response,” Firo said, explaining the denominator behind several ratios the department tracks. He also told council that all use-of-force incidents are reviewed and that, as of the presentation, no incidents had been concluded to be outside policy.

Council members pressed for detail on investigations, injuries and causes. Firo said internal-investigation totals were modest compared with overall call volume: 8 internal investigations in 2024 (with 6 involving sustained findings and 10 employees implicated), and 7 supervisory investigations that produced sustained findings affecting 11 employees. He added that 3 investigations remained unresolved in the reporting period because staff separations prevented completion.

On injuries, the department reported 104 suspects and 30 officers sustaining injuries linked to force incidents in 2024. Firo said the injuries ranged from scrapes and complaints of pain to several officers who were checked in hospital evaluations; he said there were no broken bones reported in the year examined.

Pursuits and miles: Commander Myers told the council that the 52 pursuits in 2024 covered about 47.45 miles in total (an average of about 0.91 miles per pursuit), down from a 2.0-mile average in 2023 when the department largely pursued only felony suspects. He attributed the shift partly to the change in state law (implemented June 2024), which returned pursuit discretion to local chiefs and resulted in many pursuits for stolen vehicles. Myers said officers and sergeants increasingly terminated pursuits when public-risk outweighed the benefit of continuing.

Collisions and driving training: The department reported more reportable collisions in 2024 than in prior years but said many were low-speed or backing incidents that nonetheless require documentation and corrective training. The department logged 25 coaching/counselings and 9 coaching/counselings for misconduct, 5 written reprimands and 2 dismissals for misconduct-related actions in 2024. Commander Myers described the department’s Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC) and said state rules require high-speed EVOC every two years; the department also conducts extra low-speed driver training at local sites and brings officers back for re-training when performance indicates it’s needed.

Staffing and retention: Chief-level presenters told the council Auburn’s staffing remains “newer” compared with pre-2019 levels: roughly 63 percent of staff have been employed fewer than 10 years (up from 56 percent in 2020). Directors said the department’s take-home vehicle program and the recent hiring of a full-time recruitment officer have helped retention and recruitment. Ten new positions authorized in the last budget were expected to return response-time performance gains when filled.

Accountability and outside review: Firo explained the department’s internal-review pipeline: complaints go from supervisors to division commanders to the assistant chief and chief, and serious allegations meeting criminal thresholds are referred to the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) process. He said the department completes and forwards CJTC paperwork when misconduct meets disqualifying criteria; CJTC does its own certification review.

What remains outstanding: Council members requested more breakdowns (for example, by initiating event such as traffic stops, warrants, or service calls) so the city can identify patterns that might reduce escalation. The department said each use-of-force report is linked to a case number and CAD incident and that staff can supply initiating-event summaries for analysis.

The council did not take formal action at the study session. Staff said the full 2024 annual report is available in the council packet and that commanders will return with additional data on the causes of use-of-force incidents and the department’s retraining plans.

Ending: Council members thanked department presenters for the data and urged continued public reporting and follow-up analysis. The department said it will deliver supplementary materials on initiating events, training schedules and the status of the unresolved investigations to council and to the public record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Auburn City Council Study Session Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Commander Sean Firo, Special Services Division commander for the Auburn Police Department, told the Auburn City Council study session on April 28 that the department’s 2024 annual report shows a rise in several enforcement measures, including use-of-force reports and pursuits, while also describing how training and policy review shape responses.","taxTitle","Auburn, King County, Washington","taxId",2616,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257082,"Council hears CAPER, consolidated-plan proposal that pivots housing-repair funding and seeks HUD Section 108 loan for resource center build-out",1755,3654000,5409000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1&start=3654&end=5409","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1/thumbnail_3654000.jpg","/articles/6257082/Auburn/King-County/Washington/Council-hears-CAPER-consolidated-plan-proposal-that-pivots-housing-repair-funding-and-seeks-HUD-Section108-loan-for-resource-center-build-out","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257082-37a66f0faf85cba08467a68f7f1af97b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164397&Signature=c3qrhE4e0uYQ3Tuq6AWs8LaQP7J85NxyiAFWcEPyVigLds-cSjpGsSjnx2f6Sy39IrislqSOkJw5uQrTz50NgprfCouwqvszFK53UQbkYQg98HaSfsvMeGQh84H9LYcHovMiXqZ0aiv9SswZdt9SF86E9LiNaie-IHCPyTF1hOe0Wi60NO6Ele1~GhT~Fd9Idi3EKs7IU819xSBHfqZcl93xFV2wccnIoIKvRo1d4vx9E79JYuAsXUqEd1bP8X8xMKVH00xBcYSbPDfsoAAI-LOYZ719xCurftpvqGZZ-8kkHk9ri21KCJJM-KrmP-CHf4uOh2EzmZqPNPmP1hXFrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented the 2024 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) and a draft 2025–2029 consolidated plan to the Auburn City Council study session on April 28, summarizing federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) spending and related city investments in housing stability, homelessness reduction and economic development.

Kate, Director of Human Services, told council that the city’s CAPER combines federal CDBG reporting with an overview of the city’s broader community investments in 2024. She said the city recorded about $4.7 million in total investments that year across several programs, with about $2.9 million directed to homelessness-reduction activities (including shelter funding, outreach, the Ray of Hope and Sundown shelters, utility discounts and clean-and-sober housing) and roughly $1.5 million allocated to affordable-housing efforts such as home repair programs and tax deferrals.

Staff emphasized a programmatic change: to reduce administrative fragility and contractor-registration hurdles tied to federal funding, staff propose detaching the city’s housing repair program from direct dependence on CDBG dollars and instead sustaining the program with city funds while using CDBG funding for a different capital priority — tenant improvements at the Auburn Consolidated Resource Center (ARC) on Auburn Way North.

Jody Davidson, community development program coordinator, and Jason (housing repair lead) said the housing repair program typically completes 60–65 projects per year and is considered highly effective at preserving stable housing for low-income residents. Staff explained that recent federal contractor-registration requirements (SAM.gov and related compliance) had limited the pool of willing vendors, causing project delays; shifting the program from direct CDBG dependency would, staff said, allow the city to preserve the program while reducing administrative friction.

To expand the ARC and attract more service providers, staff are pursuing a HUD Section 108 loan (the consolidated-plan documents show the city could borrow up to five times its CDBG allocation) to finance tenant improvements that would provide private interview and counseling rooms, adequate outlets, and other build-out elements staff say are needed to host more providers five days a week rather than the current limited schedule. Staff stressed the building itself is sound — this would finance interior tenant improvements and furnishings to make the center usable for longer hours and by multiple providers.

Council asked for details on expected loan size and terms. Staff said the 108 application is underway; the city’s borrowing capacity using the previous year’s allocation could be up to approximately $3 million, but final loan amounts, terms and underwriting details will be provided to council in a future study-session packet prior to any council action. Staff also said Congresswoman Schreier’s $500,000 grant helped with the building purchase and played into the financing strategy.

Council members raised accountability questions about partner organizations’ reporting to the city. Staff said the human-services contracts now include stronger outcome and reporting language (prorated payments tied to verified service counts), and that the 2025–2026 human services funding cycle reduced the number of funded agencies while increasing award sizes to improve oversight.

What’s next: staff will submit the CAPER to HUD as scheduled, and council will consider a resolution to ratify the consolidated plan and 2025 action plan in mid-May. If the 108 loan application proceeds, staff will return with a detailed loan package, estimated costs for tenant improvements and contract terms for council review.

Ending: Council members generally supported stabilizing the housing-repair program and expanding the resource center but asked for further cost and contract details before authorizing loan or ordinance action.

","City staff presented the 2024 CAPER and a draft consolidated plan and proposed shifting the housing repair program off direct CDBG dependency while seeking a HUD Section 108 loan to pay for tenant improvements at the Auburn Consolidated Resource Center.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257068,"Council notified of pending franchise for Level 3 fiber crossings; public hearing set",181,5015000,5196000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1&start=5015&end=5196","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1/thumbnail_5015000.jpg","/articles/6257068/Auburn/King-County/Washington/Council-notified-of-pending-franchise-for-Level3-fiber-crossings-public-hearing-set","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257068-218e0553b24fccc84f9e23e852b95383/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164397&Signature=QrJaDYwa4kD0u~h58k7G-UCMU3cnRA8dWvhTQ6q--WLL1Bj1~-jzftMuXHTkV3-oJqn18mLX94lmpE4eo6k7lXDGZ1Wi9qpzG-TpSnj03QNb32eDwabjE5W1uL3Vo6H5fRHUkkk55ozugxEp9Q80UmcuHp6022v9zNLIeDhq6gg247uwPD8bM9DbuBtJ-P5eZ8xJirFzUmZPerc0qqmVvRzmTb0WtJZgISTZCghzSEvg6VmvB23olx~UixKezTZflsFThm07dzi0iVFUFJp83lTKJS6PxLLN0j-IROtS1fsbT72tWIKrjVScrBBvbkyPHY8yFN~NRKYUBbAXFSVPXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public Works Director Ingrid Gao briefed the Auburn City Council study session on April 28 about a pending franchise application from Level 3 Communications (Lumen/Level 3) to authorize existing fiber-optic telecommunications facilities in city rights-of-way where an earlier public-way agreement had expired.

Gao said the facilities cross Union Pacific Railroad property at seven east–west crossings and that the firm’s application met the code requirements for a franchise under Title 20. The proposed franchise would run 15 years; any future construction or upgrades would still require the city’s standard permits. Gao said staff verified the application met the city’s standard form and code requirements and that a public hearing is scheduled for the May 5 council meeting, with possible ordinance adoption scheduled for May 19.

Council did not take action at the study session; staff said they will present the franchise ordinance after the public hearing and record staff findings that the application complies with the city code.

Ending: Councilmembers received the report and were alerted to the May 5 public hearing and the subsequent ordinance schedule.","Public works staff told council the Level 3 Communications franchise application for existing fiber facilities in city right-of-way was complete and consistent with city code; a public hearing on the franchise is scheduled for May 5 and ordinance consideration for May 19.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257072,"City’s fourth-quarter 2024 financial report: revenues exceeded budget; sales, utility and B&O taxes show mixed trends",121,6810000,6931000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1&start=6810&end=6931","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1/thumbnail_6810000.jpg","/articles/6257072/Auburn/King-County/Washington/Citys-fourth-quarter-2024-financial-report-revenues-exceeded-budget-sales-utility-and-BO-taxes-show-mixed-trends","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257072-a8f2cef0c3a21c416880422f32be73b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164397&Signature=itLYJJbqUxhSn7Rfi4G1rAhHW~jl3tJ5tjTypxPDYgRyYMKo8EFdQfNzZ4blG~UKCaujKnCKzSSclHJtnKO2mjvT626ivmNDIOtPdNCgMglJWH9rKNC2a1G-vzc0OYjY5U7264o-voOcjrHOX26cRPR7jLpr9FGLF6fcid5JFrQq2wowITB9SJKPYengp3UwwS-5gQs8cvF8NdwdFWf9fGMcisSioQxPdomworn37T7614zGHui4gJZH7MS~YSyXcGpfNQz7X0FSvj1QR-psJAJYQ1Cx9DCy6vCIFrFON0Ddf4YKrw3PFK-LWu6KSkPOViS1rh6sQy9Foxmr51aM3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Thomas presented Auburn’s fourth-quarter 2024 financial report to the City Council study session on April 28, summarizing general-fund revenue and expenditure performance and highlighting reserve and non‑general-fund balances.

Key figures: the general fund ended 2024 roughly $5.7 million (about 5 percent) above budget in revenues and about $15.8 million (14 percent) under budget in expenditures compared with the original 2024 adopted budget. Director Thomas said transfers in were lower than budgeted by about $9.4 million due to timing of capital projects, which also produced offsetting lower expenditures.

Tax revenue drivers: property tax collections met budgeted expectations. Retail sales tax — 29 percent of general-fund tax revenue — finished slightly under year-to-date budget (about $95,000) and staff said early 2025 receipts are showing moderating trends that could signal a looming slowdown. Construction-related sales tax declined $240,000 year over year as major school-district projects completed; retail trade and several subcategories also softened.

Business and occupation (B&O) tax outperformed budget: the newly implemented B&O program produced $11.6 million in 2024 collections against a $7.0 million budget estimate; roughly $1.0 million of that was delinquent taxes discovered through enforcement and discovery work. Director Thomas noted continued enforcement and discovery activity added materially to collections and that some collections related to prior years (2022–23) were received in 2024.

Utility taxes and other revenue: utility tax collections outperformed budget by about $1.6 million, influenced in part by internal water/sewer/storm bases and some external late collections in 2023 that distorted year-over-year comparisons. Licenses and permits were near budget but building-permit revenue softened versus the prior year. Fines and penalties exceeded budget significantly, driven by school-zone speed-infringement revenue and B&O delinquency collections.

Investments and interest: the city’s portfolio had an average yield-to-maturity of about 4.31 percent for the life-to-date holdings; a recently purchased $5 million agency security carried a 3.82 percent yield — staff said market yields have already declined and future yields are likely to come down if the Treasury and prime rates are reduced.

ARPA and capital funds: the city received $14.7 million in ARPA funds and had spent just under $6.8 million as of Q4; staff said spending pace was increasing and several large projects were underway with planned spending into 2025. Real-estate-excise-tax and impact‑fee funds were cited as healthy and in line with the city’s adopted capital facilities plan.

Next steps and context: Thomas recommended cautious budgeting for 2025 given early signs of sales-tax moderation, and noted that personnel and program underspending from 2024 will be addressed in Amendment 1 to the 2025–26 budget.

Ending: Council had no immediate action; staff will bring required budget amendments and return with further context on early 2025 revenue trends and ARPA spending schedules.

","The city closed 2024 with general-fund revenues about $5.7 million (5%) above budget and expenditures about $15.8 million (14%) under budget. Staff flagged a possible slowdown in retail sales tax in early 2025, strong B&O discovery collections in 2024 and an investment yield shift as interest rates fell from mid-4% to the low-3% range.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257077,"Council study session examines proposed moratorium on large battery-energy storage systems after national incidents",712,5322000,6034000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1&start=5322&end=6034","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3155089-e5c4e9687032f64f38e8aa6858cdf2f1/thumbnail_5322000.jpg","/articles/6257077/Auburn/King-County/Washington/Council-study-session-examines-proposed-moratorium-on-large-battery-energy-storage-systems-after-national-incidents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257077-07d0106c04a81ad6b5f46f612392a442/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164397&Signature=lMDFJRDvHz~tyT6WV-Iei2vL2sDfVzQ2-Q1~X4NU7v-bV2~0fv4dhEejRBLVghmmTs7tjJL0m6HW-7T4zRzWCW1FaKfsP1K7EWdRDgcvmsb9F7k0UH28WjA28PhYTnQJDIhK-0e1boQBPrGzJ9fLvwz0CRRyzXYqYHlVh~CDJu2QNIIAZa93tTo1OBWKCB2e5LJpa7A21R9IoP2QK9jvU3280WF7yP2IxMR-ZcaP6wgNVLxLu6gDl1GecS0fesQj-QJkqI-kJLwrwqWRxBS1i0Pq8mK7yhG8OilSGLWbJyoZsZRCC3LJvn3Kgb5tfVJ8-9fccSO-o8rtXkcrtGSPAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Planning staff presented a study-session briefing on April 28 proposing a six-month moratorium on new commercial and grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) while the city drafts siting, construction and operational code standards.

Gabriel Clark, Planner II, told council that energy storage systems — particularly grid-scale lithium-ion battery installations — serve useful roles in load-leveling, renewable-energy smoothing and emergency backup but pose specific public-safety and environmental risks that warrant detailed local standards. He said residential and smaller on-site commercial batteries would not be covered by the moratorium because their scale and risk profile are substantially lower.

Clark described the principal hazard as thermal runaway, a cell-level failure process that can cause intense heat, venting of gases and, in some cases, multi-hour fires. He referenced incidents elsewhere (including the Moss Landing event in Monterey County) as evidence that a large-scale BESS fire can require prolonged multi-agency firefighting responses and may prompt localized evacuations. “Thermal runaway … is a phenomenon in which lithium ion cell enters an uncontrollable self heating state,” Clark said, summarizing industry safety guidance.

Valley Regional Fire Authority (VRFA) and other first responders discussed firefighting tactics; staff said VRFA concluded that prolonged cooling with water is often the primary operational tactic to limit heat propagation, but that approach raises questions about where firefighting runoff would go and whether storm or groundwater contamination could occur. Councilmembers also asked about floodplain siting, rail-corridor proximity and other local constraints; Clark said those are among the issues staff will study.

Staff recommended a six-month moratorium on Tier 2 (larger commercial integrated with a customer site) and Tier 3 (front-of-meter, grid-scale) installations to allow development of a new Title 18 zoning chapter and associated engineering, fire protection and environmental containment standards. The draft timeline calls for coordination with fire, public works, Ecology and other stakeholders in June–July, Planning Commission review and a council hearing in the fall; staff said the moratorium would expire when the revised code is adopted but not later than November unless council extends it.

Council members asked several technical questions, including whether rail operators (BNSF) and other critical-infrastructure owners would be engaged; staff said outreach to rail and other stakeholders is expected during the standards-development phase. Council also asked about water-supply needs for firefighting, HVAC redundancy and flood risk; staff said they will incorporate those considerations in the draft code and agreed to consult external engineering and environmental resources.

Ending: Council did not act on the moratorium at the study session; staff said a moratorium ordinance will be presented for council action on May 5, and that staff will return with draft siting and operational standards for public review and Planning Commission recommendation.","Planning staff recommended a six-month moratorium on new large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) to give the city time to develop zoning, siting, construction and operational standards. Staff cited thermal-runaway risks, lengthy water-based firefighting responses and recent out-of-state fires as reasons to pause approvals.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Auburn police present 2024 annual report showing more use-of-force reports, pursuit uptick and staffing turnover

Council hears CAPER, consolidated-plan proposal that pivots housing-repair funding and seeks HUD Section 108 loan for resource center build-out

Council notified of pending franchise for Level 3 fiber crossings; public hearing set

City’s fourth-quarter 2024 financial report: revenues exceeded budget; sales, utility and B&O taxes show mixed trends

Council study session examines proposed moratorium on large battery-energy storage systems after national incidents