Opinion: the pitfalls of a City police force

Tom Shafer writes the first opinion piece in The Hayden Citizen's new opinion section

The Hayden Citizen launches its new opinion section with an entry from Tom Shafer, candidate for City Council seat #3 in the City of Hayden for the election on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Shafer is running against incumbent Roger Saterfiel.

Residents of the City of Hayden and Kootenai County can reach out to contact at haydencitizen dot com to share their opinions. We welcome your email and look forward to sharing views from a variety of citizens in future posts.

The Pitfalls of a City Police Force

Author: Tom Shafer

Prior to 2020, many of us throughout the United States probably gave little thought about “just powers” exercised by law enforcement. But then in 2020, under the guise of “protecting us” from Covid, elected officials at federal, state and municipal levels wielded unconstitutional mandates against our Fourth Amendment Rights such as preventing people from using public spaces or traveling, the imposition of wearing masks, and the use of papers to prove vaccination status. All too often, the spearhead of these mandates were appointed local law enforcement, answerable to their government bosses. It was county sheriffs who pushed back, acknowledging that as justly elected officials they were sworn to protect the civil rights of the citizens whom they represent. And it has been county sheriffs who have refused to enforce unconstitutional laws infringing on the right of people to own and carry firearms for self-protection.

So we should all take pause and challenge the soundness of any municipality wanting to establish its own police force. The latest example is the city council of Hayden which on October 10th voted 3 to 1 in favor of a study to do just that—including my opponent Roger Saterfiel. Notably, Councilwoman Sandy White voted against it. One of the Council members pointed out that “Federal Grants were available for small communities who wish to establish their own police departments”. Besides the principled argument above, who thinks that federal grants do not come with strings attached? In this case, it appears that the grants are tied to community policing, which has already shown itself as a failed ideology in Democrat-controlled coastal cities where crime is rampant.

Then there is the prohibitive cost of Hayden establishing their own police force. It appears that Roger Saterfiel forgot that in 2010 as a member of the city council, he voted to authorize a study by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) of which I have a copy. One has only to update the numbers in this study to reflect the increased population (12,760 to 17,000 residents) and an inflation of roughly 41% in that same time frame. I did this, and am happy to share my work. The numbers are staggering. The first-year startup cost would be $4,707,650. Thereafter, annual salaries would be $2,296,157, and operating costs would be $169,623.

I say no to Hayden establishing its own police force. Instead, it should strengthen its commitment to the Kootenai County Sheriff to provide law enforcement. He will respect our Constitutional freedoms at a fraction of the cost of what it would take for Hayden to run its own force.

Tom Shafer is running for City Council seat #3 in the City of Hayden. Election day is November 7, 2023.