Sheriff’s vehicles near Cashmere City Hall spark questions

CASHMERE — Cashmere residents who have wondered why several Chelan County sheriff’s vehicles are often parked near City Hall are not alone.

City council members say they have been hearing the same questions from the public, sometimes seriously, sometimes with humor.

Councilmember Chris Carlson said residents have approached him repeatedly about the visible presence of law enforcement vehicles in the area.

Among the comments he shared were questions like, “What are all the cops doing there?” and “What is going on with all the law enforcement vehicles in front of City Hall?” Some residents have joked that “Weeds Cafe and Cashmere City Hall are the safest places in Chelan County.”

Carlson said one concern residents mentioned was practical: with several patrol vehicles parked nearby, parking spaces in front of City Hall can sometimes be limited.

Those questions recently made their way to the council table, where members discussed what they had learned from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office about how deputies use the location.

Cashmere serves as a convenient midpoint for deputies working a large service area that stretches from Wenatchee to Leavenworth. Deputies often use the area around City Hall as a place to stop briefly between calls, complete paperwork or coordinate with other deputies, the council learned after meeting with some of them.

Councilmembers also noted that report writing can take a significant amount of time. Deputies may spend hours completing documentation after certain types of incidents.

One example discussed during the meeting involved domestic violence calls, where deputies must thoroughly document why an arrest was or was not made, both for prosecution purposes and to protect the county from liability.

Councilmembers also discussed the realities of coverage levels for the area. Cashmere’s contracted sheriff’s presence amounts to about two-and-a-half deputies, which translates to roughly 100 hours of service each week. A full week contains 168 hours, meaning deputies cannot provide continuous coverage and must prioritize calls while relying on other county units for support when needed.

Councilmembers said the discussion helped provide context they can share when residents ask about the vehicles.

“I’d rather have them here than anywhere else,” councilmember Jayne Stephenson said during the discussion, noting that deputies gathering in town can also mean quicker response times if a call comes in nearby.

During the same conversation, councilmembers also raised questions about traffic enforcement and speeding concerns in some neighborhoods. Deputies advised that recurring traffic problems should be reported through the RiverCom non-emergency dispatch number so patrol units can be directed to problem areas.

For Carlson, the goal of raising the issue publicly was simple.

“[I] hope you can educate the public a bit as to the police presence in front of our City Hall,” he wrote in a message to the newspaper.

Councilmembers said that while the sight of several patrol vehicles together may look unusual, it often reflects routine work behind the scenes — paperwork, coordination and brief breaks during long shifts — rather than an emergency response.

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