Departmental issues continue
CHENEY — Police Chief Rick Beghtol talked about his department‘s shortcomings and improvement plans during a public forum July 12.
The forum in Wren Pierson Center, 615 Fourth St. was attended by about 30 residents, police officers, Mayor Chris Grover, City Administrator Mark Schuller, Public Works Director Todd Ableman, and other city staff members.
Beghtol was transparent about department shortcomings and past leadership in the past. He emphasized the importance of restoring the department to a level of effectiveness he said had not been seen in years.
Beghtol himself had previously been employed by the city more than 10 years before retiring in 2021. He was asked to return as interim chief after the mayor asked then-Chief John Hensley to resign.
“One thing I am grateful to my predecessor for is giving me the opportunity to do and learn so much,” Beghtol said. “Now, there is nothing in that department I cannot do.”
He said he has been directly involved in the development and growth of the department, and that these experiences make him more effective and “hands on.”
“When I started as interim chief, for example, we had 76 open cases in the detective’s department.,” Beghtol said. “Now, we have fewer than 30.”
The chief was quick to point out was the limitations that inadequate staffing numbers places on the department.
“Shifts which last for 12 hours are really unsustainable,” he said. “These officers will work 12-hour shifts, sometimes for weeks in a row and that’s really hard on them and their families.”
Beghtol covered many topics, from Cheney’s therapeutic court process and domestic violence advocacy provided by the department, to redesigning the department’s official shield and patch design.
Afterward, Beghtol opened the floor to comments.
A resident voiced concerns over people living in their cars on First Street.
“Here’s the nuts and bolts of that: There’s not a lot we can do,” the chief said. “I know those people, and they’ve lived in town for a while. They have no place to live, but there is not urban-camping statute in the Cheney municipal code.
“So, I can’t arrest them just for being there.”
He described a potential solution that involved citing the property owner for violating property laws.
Other challenges that may present a more immediate obstacle to the department’s long-term sustainability are lack of updated dispatch technology and staff shortages, he said.
“We looked into updating our dispatch operating equipment, and even at the time it was being presented to us in 2016, it would have cost the city over $700,000,” Beghtol said. “That’s just not within our means.”
He said the department will have to focus on migrating the dispatch services to Spokane County in the future.
“That will benefit us in a couple of ways,” Beghtol said.
With an updated or migrated system, calls would be responded to and catalogued faster, and staff expenses and pressure would be reduced.
Resident Corinna Donnerburg asked Beghtol if it was true that the most common cases in the city were domestic violence, malicious mischief and petty theft.
“That could be correct, yes,” he said. “Some of those calls result in an arrest, and some of them don’t.”
Another resident said that he was concerned about a lack of active patrols in his area of town, and tthat “sector officers” had been retired.
“That was because of a change of philosophy. But I encourage you to call if you see something suspicious, no question,” Beghtol said.
Lucas is a former Cheney Free Press managing editor. He is a nationally published author who contributes regularly to several publications across the country.
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