'I want to mend that bridge'

Shelton Police Chief Chris Kostad told a Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce audience he wants to re-establish a bond between his department and residents during a presentation April 18 in the Olympic College Shelton library meeting room.

“I think in the last few years, a partnership with the community has become disconnected, and I want to mend that bridge,” said Kostad, who in November replaced Carole Beason as chief.

In his state of the department address, Kostad pointed out that the number of calls to the police department has been increasing by about 1,000 per year in recent years, from about 11,000 in 2021 to 12,000 in 2022 to 13,012 last year.

The native of Riverside, California, joined the Shelton Police Department in 2006 as a patrol officer. Kostad said he believes he might be the first chief who rose through the department’s ranks.

The department is budgeted for two records clerks and 19 sworn positions, including Kostad, but they are short three employees now. The officers average about five years of experience due to turnover, Kostad said.

In a perfect world, two patrol officers and a sergeant would always be on duty, the chief said.

Even with two officers, “with a major incident, they can barely shut down the street.”

The department receives many entry-level applications for vacant positions, but many of them are not fit to serve, Kostad said. Once they are hired, there’s a wait list to get into the police academy, five months with that program, and then training within the department, he said.

At the same time, laws changed by the state Legislature have created “bad juju” for officers who fear possible litigation, Kostad said. The changes on laws regarding police pursuits “have hindered our ability to retain people,” he said.

The Legislature in 2021 ruled that police can initiate a car chase only when a fleeing person is suspected of certain crimes, such as a violent offense, sex offense, domestic violence assault, vehicular assaults, DUI, or escaping from prison or jail.

In 2022, “we saw a lot of stolen vehicles go through the roof,” Kostad said. “They knew we couldn’t stop them.” He said it’s fortunate those restrictions are being rolled back.

The heavy caseload carried by public defenders means “people will be cited and released,” Kostad said. Shortages in staffing at the Mason County Jail, and the amount of time it takes to transport prisoners to the Nisqually Jail, also imposes a lot of booking restrictions, he said.

During the question-and-answer session, a couple chamber members expressed frustration and fear about homeless people downtown who are openly using drugs and sleeping in the doorways of businesses.

“We can’t arrest our way out of it … it won’t solve the problem,” the chief said. People need to look at the causes and symptoms of substance abuse disorders and mental illness, and while services are available, “some of them don’t want the help,” he said.

Kostad praised the work of the city’s designated crisis responder, who assesses people at the scene for possible treatment. When asked what the business community can do for the department, Kostad praised the suggestion to establish a community watch program.