Cover Story | Police
Correcting Course S
pokane Police Chief Frank Straub calls it a “re-engineering” process. Throughout the past 12 months under his leadership, the Spokane Police Department has seen shake-up after shake-up, reworking everything from command structures to patrol strategies to vehicle decals. From top to bottom, Straub has replaced his entire executive staff. Officers of all ranks have shifted to new assignments and gone through expanded training. The department has updated how it tracks and responds to crimes throughout the city. Heading into his second year, Straub expects to continue a restless pursuit of reform. “What the community is going to see,” he says, “is a constantly evolving police department, one that never sits still.” Walking into a barrage of expectations last fall, Straub has weathered his first year well. While many local critics consider the department’s recent reforms long overdue, most community advocates have praised Straub’s efforts to repair the bitter relationship between the city’s police force and its citizenry. Straub has pushed new community outreach programs. He has embraced interagency partnerships and new accountability standards. He has lobbied for additional staffing and equipment. All while so far avoiding much of the scandal and dysfunction that plagued other recent administrations. “I think he’s done a great job considering the challenges he got himself into,” says Rick Eichstaedt, director
YEAR ONE SEPT. 10, 2012: With support from Mayor David Condon, the Spokane City Council approves Frank Straub as director of law enforcement, a temporary position until he can be commissioned and sworn in as police chief.
Amid high expectations, Frank Straub makes big changes, hits several bumps and looks to work yet undone BY JACOB JONES
of the Center for Justice, one of the department’s strongest critics. But many other challenges remain. Ongoing negotiations with the Spokane Police Guild have complicated efforts to adopt additional reforms. Crime rates throughout Spokane continue to run well above those of similarly sized cities. High-profile murders and multiple officerinvolved shootings have captured headlines and shaken nerves. And despite the department’s recent efforts to target downtown crime, business closures and public fears persist over renewed reports of street disorder and youth violence. “We have a lot of work to do,” Straub says.
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hen Straub first took over the Spokane department in 2012, nine out of every 100 city residents could expect to be victims of a property crime. As most major cities across the country enjoyed falling crime rates, Spokane saw its property crime rates rise 13 percent in the years since 2000. Department crime records show citywide property crimes continue at about 5.5 percent above last year, with those numbers varying widely throughout different parts of the city. Meanwhile, violent crimes, such as murder or robbery, have dropped by about 4.9 percent compared to 2012. “I’m frustrated by the property crime issue,” Straub acknowledges. “We’ve basically been able to get it to a level and hold it to that level, but we really need to get it down.” Straub attributes most of the city’s property crime, in-
cluding the notorious vehicle theft rates, to drug addiction. The city’s northeast region, encompassing areas north of the river and east of Division, has endured a 17 percent rise in property crime this year. In May, Straub himself became a victim when his bicycle was stolen from his garage on the relatively safe South Hill. The downtown business core has struggled with its own issues. Beignets restaurant and the Blue Spark bar both closed in the past year, blaming loiterers and “street kids” for driving off customers. The Blue Spark in particular accused the police of ignoring its concerns. Driven by anecdotal observations and persistent TV coverage, downtown visitors have voiced uneasiness regarding late-night assaults, aggressive panhandling and other disruptive behavior. Straub argues he has worked closely with local businesses and the Downtown Spokane Partnership to increase the police presence in the city’s core and address problems. He advocates a collaborative approach, with community service providers teaming with street officers to move beyond just arresting troublemakers. “We are not going to arrest our way out of situations downtown,” he says. “Draconian enforcement is not good for anybody.” Looking at the numbers, Straub argues the department has made significant headway downtown, helping drive down violent crime by 12 percent compared to last year. Property crime has also dropped 1.5 percent. The West Central and eastern South Hill neighborhoods also ...continued on page 34 have seen decreases.
COMPILED BY JACOB JONES OCT. 8: Condon swears in Straub as police chief.
32 INLANDER OCTOBER 3, 2013
OCT. 15: The City Council approves a $350,000 settlement with Det. Jeff Harvey, apologizing for his temporary termination over a confrontation with a Fish & Wildlife officer.
OCT. 23: Condon and the City Council approve extending the contract for Police Ombudsman Tim Burns. His contract has since been extended again until August of 2014.
NOV. 15: Former Spokane police Officer Karl Thompson is ordered to serve more than four years in prison for excessive force during the arrest of Otto Zehm (pictured) in 2006. After being struck with a baton, hogtied and Tasered repeatedly, Zehm died in police custody.
DEC. 19: Assistant Police Chief Scott Stephens allegedly makes a threatening comment after being told he will be demoted to captain. Straub puts him on administrative leave the following day, pending an investigation.