WebsEdge/Government

The Spokane Police Department is located in Eastern Washington and is responsible for providing law enforcement services to 210,000 people. Even though that's almost a quarter of a million people - the city still enjoys a small town feel. And that's something people value in Spokane, including the police department. We want our officers to know our citizens and interact with them in both traditional and necessary policing, but also in positive, community building activities. The Police Activity League (PAL) was a program adopted five years ago and has been a very successful in helping the department engage and connect more with the community. Not only has this led to healthier relationships between SPD and the community overall, but it has also strengthened relationships between the police department and young people and their families. We also implemented a Youth and Police Initiative (YPI) where officers spend a week with a select group of young people allowing them to ask the difficult questions.This opportunity allows students enrolled in the program to get to know our officers beyond the badge. YPI has led to a positive impact in how these youth look at their police department versus their views prior to attending the course. And finally, our Neighborhood Resource Officers (NROs) help neighborhoods who have long-term problems find peaceful and effective solutions. This program provides yet another opportunity for our department to develop key relationships with the community which is something our officers are committed to. The Spokane Police Department is consistently looking to grow and enhance the programs it offers to the community to truly make Spokane the city of choice.