Lake Stevens HR says lateral hire to be sworn in; three police officer vacancies remain

Lake Stevens human resources staff told the Civil Service Commission that a lateral police officer hire will start June 24 and will be sworn in at the City Council meeting on June 25, but three sworn officer positions remain open.

"Hopefully, you received this morning the chief's email invitation to attend the swearing in of that candidate at the city council meeting on June 25 at 6PM," Julie Good said, noting a spreadsheet typo that incorrectly listed the hire as an entry-level officer when the person is a lateral hire. Good said the lateral hire is still in the academy but expected to start June 24; another candidate named Dante Burns is in the academy and is expected to graduate in August.

Good said two entry-level candidates are in background checks and one entry-level advanced candidate is in background; there are no laterals in background at the moment. She also reported the records unit is now fully staffed after filling the last vacant police record specialist position.

Good said the department vacillates between three and four vacancies as hires are made and others leave, and the city is working with another department to improve recruitment advertising to attract more candidates. The commission did not take formal action on these staffing updates; members asked that the police chief and the training/academy director attend the July 11 meeting to provide details on new academy locations and officers-per-capita numbers.

The updates were presented as operational personnel matters; no budget changes or policy adoptions were proposed at the meeting.