Everett Police Want South King Co. Jail Option

The Everett Police Department has been working hard to find alternatives to booking people into jail for misdemeanor crimes. They’ve added social workers, explored alternate sentencing options and continue to offer help to people who are having issues on the streets of Everett.

Sometimes however, a person doesn’t want help, has committed a string of crimes or has a warrant and needs to be booked into jail. Over the last year, the Snohomish County Jail has had restrictions in place that limit who can be booked into the jail in downtown Everett.

Wednesday night the Everett City Council will get a look at a proposal from Everett Police to book arrestees into jail in Des Moines, WA if the Snohomish County jail is restricted.

The Snohomish County jail has limited space for those who may be having medical, mental or alcohol/drug withdrawal issues and that has led to Everett Police officers having to release people back on the street with a notice to appear instead of booking that person into jail. Some crooks in Everett know that if they say they recently used heroin they won’t be booked. That may soon change.

South Correctional Entity or SCORE has a larger capacity for inmates with those needs and could provide Everett Police with an option for booking arrestees if the Snohomish County Jail in downtown Everett does not have the space available.

Everett Police Spokesman Aaron Snell tells MyEverettNews.com that an Everett patrol officer would need a supervisor’s approval to transport an arrestee to Des Moines for booking.

“We only intend to use it when officers/supervisors believe that booking a subject into jail is absolutely necessary,” said Snell. “Not every person turned away from the jail in Everett will automatically be booked into SCORE.”

Police are working with Everett Municipal Court and the Everett IT Department to have the capability to make first appearances via video. Snell says Everett Police don’t plan to use SCORE until that capability is in place.

The proposed contract also calls for Everett to make sure its prisoners are released back to Everett and not left in South King County. There are several transportation options including regularly scheduled transport, release to family or friend with confirmed transportation or even as a last resort, the City of Everett will pay for a taxi to bring the arrestee back to Everett.

Everett Police say they hope this will prompt people to accept the help being offered to them knowing they are now more likely to go to jail. While it will only be used on occasion, this gives Everett Police officers more options.

“SCORE will allow officers, on a limited basis, to book subjects suspected of criminal activity into jail if the Snohomish County Jail is not in a position to accept them,” said Snell.

You can click here to see the proposed contract as it is being presented to the Everett City Council. A public hearing on the contract is set for December 30th.