Council authorizes three new positions to help address Police call volumes

The Marysville City Council has approved the addition of three new Community Service Officer positions in the Police department to help handle less serious calls for service, which would free up commissioned officers for more serious emergency calls and help improve overall service levels and response times. The Council took the action at its meeting on Monday, June 13. 

CSOs can assist at cold-theft calls, non-injury and non-blocking traffic accidents, abandoned vehicles, parking issues and other misdemeanor-related offenses that do not have suspect information. The department currently has one such position that works primarily on animal control cases. 

In recognition of the difficult hiring environment for local law enforcement officers that has evolved throughout the region over the past two years, this strategy offers an alternate avenue for non-commissioned officers to enter the Marysville workforce more quickly.

Police Chief Erik Scairpon said he plans to fill the three new positions before the end of this year. Budgeted costs for these personnel, vehicles and equipment is $480,433 for 2022. The department will evaluate the expanded CSO program to determine budget requests for the 2023-24 biennial budget.