East Wenatchee PD secures more than $1m in state funding, new local taxes

EAST WENATCHEE — The East Wenatchee Police Department is set to add three new police officers after securing more than $1.1 million in state public safety funding alongside a newly authorized local sales and use tax dedicated to public safety services.

Together, the two funding sources are expected to help the department expand staffing, improve emergency response capabilities and support long-term public safety operations as East Wenatchee continues to grow.

According to the department, the city recently received approval for a local sales and use tax authorization tied to Washington’s Public Safety Funding Program under ESHB 2015. The tax authorization allows the city to collect additional local revenue specifically for public safety purposes.

Separately, the East Wenatchee Police Department also applied for and received approximately $1.124 million in state grant funding through the same program.

While the sales tax authorization and the grant are connected under the broader state public safety funding framework, they are distinct funding mechanisms. Agencies were not required to receive the grant in order to implement the tax authority, though they did have to meet eligibility requirements established under the law.

East Wenatchee police officials said the combined funding efforts represent roughly six months of work by department staff and city leadership.

“These funds are a significant investment in the safety and future of our city,” East Wenatchee Police Chief Rick Johnson said in a statement announcing the awards.

The state grant funding is intended to support officer hiring, retention and training, according to approval documents issued by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.

East Wenatchee police officials said the combined revenue from the state grant and the locally collected sales tax will support the hiring of three new entry-level police officers.

The department said the additional staffing is expected to improve response capabilities, increase police visibility in neighborhoods and support broader community engagement efforts.

Chief Johnson said the department has focused on identifying ways to maintain staffing levels while continuing proactive policing and relationship-building within the community.

In addition to the staffing funding, East Wenatchee police also received a smaller grant earlier this spring to begin equipping patrol vehicles with automated external defibrillators, commonly known as AEDs.

The $5,646 grant from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs funded the purchase of three AED units, with the long-term goal of placing the devices in all patrol vehicles.

Police officials said the equipment could improve survival outcomes during cardiac emergencies by allowing officers to provide faster medical intervention before paramedics arrive.

The department described the new funding as part of a continued investment in staffing, emergency preparedness and public safety infrastructure as East Wenatchee’s population continues to expand.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media