HomeMy WebLinkAboutCriminal Justice May 27 2025Whatcom County
Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
10:40 AM
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers
HYBRID MEETING - MAY BEGIN EARLY - ADJOURNS BY 11:15 A.M.
(PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT
www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Jon Scanlon
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC
Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final May 27, 2025
Safety Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 10:36 a.m.
in a hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, and Jon Scanlon
Also Present: Todd Donovan, Kaylee Galloway, and Mark Stremler
Announcements
Special Presentation
1. AB2025-386 Report on jail booking restrictions
The following people read from a presentation (on file):
• Donnell Tanksley, Sheriff
• Steve Harris, Undersheriff
Tanksley stated on February first of 2025 he changed the booking
restrictions that have been in place since the COVID-19 pandemic in order
to make sure they had a clear framework of when they could and could not
book a person. The prior booking restrictions were based on charges but the
new ones are based on jail capacity. He stated deputies can see three levels
of capacity (green, yellow, and red) in real time and each of those levels has
a parameter for what a person can be charged with.
Harris spoke about monthly and annual booking statistics and average daily
jail population, and stated the population totals account for only those who
are presently in the main jail and work center.
Tanksley stated that the average daily population in reports prior to January
1, 2024 included people who were on electronic home detention and were
out of custody but they changed the formula to show the average length of
stay just for those incarcerated in both facilities.
Scanlon stated it would be helpful to see trends over time in the reports
since the restriction levels change often.
The speakers answered questions about how other jurisdictions are reacting
to the booking restriction levels changing so often, and how the level
changes how an officer interacts with a person.
Whatcom County Page I
Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final May 27, 2025
Safety Committee
Harris spoke about the increasing number of outstanding warrants year over
year compared to a more consistent and lower number of warrants issued,
which shows that people are being issued warrants but they are not able to
clear them because of the inability to actually book them to appear in court.
He answered how long it will take the court system to process that many
warrants, and stated it will take years.
Tanksley answered whether other counties in the state are seeing a similar
trend, and he stated he does not have an analysis of that, but that many
counties do not have any booking restrictions. He answered a question
about what budget and policy decisions might have an impact on lessening
the number of outstanding warrants, and spoke about a holistic approach of
coordination between the county and the cities and educating the
community that the goal is for people to go to court.
This agenda item was REPORTED.
2. AB2025-392 Report from Superior Court Administration & Juvenile Court
Stephanie Kraft, Superior Court Administrator, read from a presentation (on
file) on the purpose of the court, Superior Court's current caseload and that
water adjudication claim filings will significantly change their civil
caseload number, the duties of the Court, various Superior and Juvenile
Court programs which they provide, the completion of courtroom 5C, an
update on the HCA reentry program, the status of preparation for the new
3rd floor courtroom, water adjudication updates, accomplishments of the
last year, and challenges they face.
Scanlon asked questions about how interpretation services might be used
across multiple parts of the County, and whether staffing could be shared
between adult detention and juvenile detention, and stated he will follow up
later (because of time constraints).
This agenda item was REPORTED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 11:16 a.m.
Whatcom County Page 2
Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final
Safety Committee
ATTEST;
J••'HAT'••
4 COUNTY
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Ca y Hafka'&A Dirk'
May 27, 2025
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Barry Buchanan -via email 6/4/2025
Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger
Whafcom County page 3
Barry Buchanan, Committee Chair