Interim Chief Doug Johnson outlines plan to rebuild Twisp police force by mid‑summer

Interim Police Chief Doug Johnson told the Twisp Town Council on March 11 that he has been assessing the police department since last September and is working on a staffing plan intended to restore an operating department by mid‑summer. Mayor Smith reported Johnson was hired after the release of Chief King and said the town is also recruiting a full‑time police chief and an administrative assistant.

Johnson warned regional staffing shortages are acute: “countywide we are down a third of positions across all agencies,” a figure he cited while outlining recruitment and interim coverage plans. Residents at the meeting urged faster action: Paula Mackrow thanked Johnson for taking on the department and described ongoing pedestrian‑safety concerns tied to speeding on town streets. The council said it has received only two applications so far for the Civil Service Commission and encouraged more applicants to apply.