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In November SPD announced it had identified the man who raped and killed 9-year old Candy Rogers, 62 years ago. SPD Detectives solve the oldest and most notorious homicide in Spokane. Reduction in the recidivism of individuals in and out of the hospital emergency rooms and jails.Reduction in 911 calls from individuals who are high utilizers of services by being proactive in addressing root causes of behavior.Reach more individuals and connect them with services and resources they may not otherwise be able to receive.Increased ability for the unit to follow-up with individuals who are living independently and may need assistance.Patrol officers freed up to respond to other calls for service.Increased BHU availability for community members in crisis.In 2021, the BHU team grew from 4 co-responder teams to 7 co-responder teams which allows: BHU diversions result on average in more than 75% of people contacted having an outcome other than jail or hospital.
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Often these people experience co-occurring disorders including mental health and substance abuse. In partnership with the Sheriff’s Office, the Spokane Valley Police Department, and Frontier Behavioral Health, the BHU diverts people in crisis from being arrested or seeking treatment in hospital ER’s when other options may better meet their needs while keeping the community safe. SPD’s Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) grows with continued positive diversions in its second year of operations.
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Stay tuned to see the ways SPD utilizes this opportunity to find the best officers for our community! SPD received a grant for 2022 to fund increased and innovative recruiting efforts specifically designed to bolster applicant numbers and further diversify the applicant group. Almost one third of applicants are from groups historically underrepresented in law enforcement (female and minority populations) and more than one third of the 24 police officers hired in 2021 come from those groups. Focused recruiting efforts have been successful in both increasing the overall number of applicants (762 in 2021), and diversifying the applicant pool. In a time when many departments nationwide are struggling to attract applicants, SPD saw a 75% increase in individuals applying for police officer positions compared to 2019 numbers.
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2021 was full of challenges but also bright spots for SPD and we are pleased to highlight a few accomplishments.