Clark County deputies report full La Center precinct staffing and rising traffic enforcement

Commander Phil Sample told the council the La Center precinct is near full staffing and listed recent statistics and notable incidents.

Sample introduced a newly hired deputy, Travis Scott, and said a support specialist would be in place within days. He reported January figures that showed community‑initiated calls rose to 128 and deputy‑initiated contacts were 80, for a total of 208 calls in the month cited; he contrasted those numbers with prior years to show increased proactive enforcement as staffing returned.

Nut graf: the precinct’s increased presence produced more stops and more traffic enforcement actions, Sample said, and he described a mix of routine and reportable incidents — domestic disturbances that remained verbal and did not move to mandatory arrest, malicious mischief (including BB gun damage to a vehicle), theft reports that lacked leads, a school fight and a casino trespass handled by deputies.

Sample clarified the difference between domestic disturbance and domestic violence: when officers determine a physical assault has occurred, Washington law requires officers to identify a primary aggressor and arrest under mandatory‑arrest protocols. He told the council some traffic stops do not generate formal reports but still represent active enforcement.

Sample also cautioned residents about phone and courier scams, giving examples of frauds reported elsewhere in which victims were persuaded to withdraw large sums to “protect” accounts. “Be very leery,” he said, and encouraged residents to bring suspicious messages to the precinct for verification.

Ending: Council members thanked Sample and welcomed the new deputy. Sample said the precinct will continue public outreach and urged residents to use official dispatch channels so calls are routed correctly and documented.