Poulsbo police report increases in drug cases, describe staffing and overtime plans

Chief Harding and Deputy Chief Wheeler presented a midyear police update that reviewed internal restructuring, training mandates and overtime trends and outlined a hiring timeline aimed at restoring full patrol coverage.

The department reorganized leadership by adding a deputy‑chief position, shifting lieutenants and creating a professional and support services manager to oversee accreditation and training, Harding said. On training and overtime, he noted state‑mandated hours and specialty training requirements that contribute to overtime: "We have to have 12 officers in order for it to run... The first three months of the year, we ran our schedule with only 11 officers, which adds 173 hours of overtime per month," Harding said.

Deputy Chief Wheeler walked council through recruitment and onboarding timelines: background checks, a five‑month academy for new recruits and a four‑month field‑training program translate to roughly a 13‑month process from board appointment to a fully independent patrol officer. Wheeler and the chief said the department expects to phase new hires onto patrol through the coming year and that lateral hires shorten the timeline.

On enforcement, Harding said the city made 75 cases related to drug charges through July 31, up from 21 in 2023. He emphasized an approach that pairs enforcement with supports: officers carry resource information and coordinate with recovery services. Council discussed court time, interagency partnerships, and the budgetary impacts of overtime and staffing decisions.

Provenance: Chief and deputy presented slides, performance numbers, and body-camera footage; Q&A followed.