Thurston County on Tuesday finalized an agreement with the City of Tenino to provide law enforcement services through at least Sept. 30.
The contract includes an option for a three-month extension, which would cover policing services through Dec. 31.
The Tenino City Council signed off on the contract on May 12. The Thurston County Board of Commissioners’ unanimous vote to approve the contract on Tuesday, May 19, was the last step to finalizing the contract.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) has been responding to calls in Tenino since April, after the City of Tenino announced that it was facing possible bankruptcy and would be dissolving the Tenino Police Department to stay afloat.
The City of Tenino formally dissolved the police department on May 12.
Tenino’s few remaining police officers are transferring over to TCSO, according to previous reporting.
TCSO has historically had a contract with the City of Tenino to respond to high-priority nighttime calls. The new contract supersedes the old one and allows TCSO to police Tenino full time.
Under the terms of the contract, Tenino will pay Thurston County $112,365.00 for policing services from April 6 to Sept. 30. The three-month extension adds $56,182.50 to the bill, for a total contract amount of $168,547.50.
While the current contract is for temporary policing services, Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders has said he hopes to have a long-term contract ready by Jan. 1, 2027.
Read more about the contract and the financial struggles facing Tenino here: https://www.chronline.com/stories/tenino-city-council-officially-dissolves-police-department-approves-temporary-contract-with-tcso,402376?
