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Covington council weighs rising King County police costs, asks staff to model hiring one officer
Summary
Councilors at a budget workshop were presented with projected increases to the King County contract for police services and a longer‑term rise in public defense and court costs. After extended debate they asked staff to model the budget impact of hiring one additional officer and to show how overtime and reconciliation payments would change.
City staff told the Oct. 25 budget workshop that Covington’s contract costs with King County have risen sharply in recent years and are expected to increase further. Staff cited an overall increase in contract spending of several million dollars since 2017 and projected continued growth tied to County contract inflation and statewide changes in indigent‑defense standards.
Key figures and projections
Staff presented a multi‑year view that shows large increases in the city’s police contract contribution relative to earlier years. They also highlighted related court‑system cost pressures (public defenders, prosecution and municipal court) driven in part by statewide rule changes and higher case volumes. Staff said that if the state standards for public defense were fully implemented on the…
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