Residents use community forum to raise concerns about sheriff, station construction and county priorities

Multiple members of the public used the Sept. 10 community forum to address the Pierce County Council on law-enforcement topics, including criticism of Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swanks social-media statements, questions about ongoing investigations and calls to complete a new mountain detachment building.

Eric Lundberg described what he called Sheriff Swanks "transparency and involvement in the community" and urged against interpreting the sheriffs statements as intent to do harm. At the same time, other commenters urged the county to hold the sheriff accountable for what they described as inflammatory rhetoric and legal actions.

Shannon Zimmerly pressed the council to complete the mountain detachment memorialized in the record as the Chuck Robbins mountain detachment and to ensure deputies are properly housed so they can serve outlying areas. "Chuck Robbins deserves what his legacy is, and ... that is a completion of that building so that we can house those deputies," Zimmerly said, urging the county to stop internal disputes that she said delayed the project.

Other speakers, including veterans and community members, expressed strongly divergent views about the sheriff and county priorities. Amelia Escobedo, who identified herself as a U.S. Army veteran, said she disagreed with Sheriff Swank's statements and described them as racist and homophobic. Victoria Mena and others urged the council to monitor investigations, decertification proceedings and any county expenditures tied to legal actions.

The forum produced no council action; Chair Hitchens closed community forum after hearing several speakers and returned the meeting to scheduled business. Council members did not take formal votes relating to Sheriff Swank or the mountain detachment during the meeting.