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For Immediate Release: November 8, 2024
Pierce County Deputy Sheriff's Independent Guild Congratulates and Welcomes Keith Swank as the next Sheriff of Pierce County
The Guild is looking forward to working collaboratively with Sheriff Keith Swank and his new administration to implement a more effective Sheriff's Department. We are encouraged by the opportunity to focus on fixing our department's substantial challenges. As the Pierce County Sheriff's Department maintains the lowest staffing levels in the state by far, we face unprecedented challenges. Our Deputies currently serve an expansive geographic area with substantially higher call volumes per Deputy than neighboring agencies, while operating with severely limited resources. Our staffing and resourcing have never adequately grown with the areas we serve over the last 30 years, as Pierce County has transformed into a complex and highly populated unincorporated area.
We anticipate Sheriff Swank will prioritize addressing these critical staffing deficiencies, which will not only enhance the safety of Pierce County citizens but also improve working conditions and morale among our Deputies. By maintaining a professional focus on departmental needs rather than external controversies, we believe significant progress can be made on these core issues. These improvements are essential, as our current staffing levels have pushed response times well beyond acceptable standards, particularly in our rural areas. Additionally, our investigative capacity is constantly overloaded, resulting in far too many cases being inactive.
Our patrol, investigations, detachments, and specialized units operate under severe budgetary constraints, often relying on outdated and poorly maintained equipment to perform their vital functions. Despite these challenges, our Deputies consistently demonstrate remarkable dedication to serving our community, though we recognize that Pierce County residents deserve a higher level of service than our current resources allow us to provide.
These longstanding issues have been compounded by past patterns in labor relations and contract negotiations. We are optimistic that Sheriff Swank's extensive street-level law enforcement experience and time with a well-resourced agency will bring a fresh perspective to these critical discussions. The Guild looks forward to engaging in substantive, solution-focused dialogue free from our historic hurdles.
The Guild congratulates and welcomes Sheriff Swank, and we look forward to establishing a productive partnership with his administration. We are eager to work with a Sheriff who brings years of practical law enforcement leadership to the department. We anticipate collaborating with Sheriff Swank and his administration to build a stronger, better equipped, and properly staffed department that can fulfill our vital mission to protect life and property, uphold rights, and work in partnership to build strong, safe communities. This mission can only be accomplished through proper staffing, adequate resources, and professional leadership focused on serving the citizens of Pierce County.
Contact:
Pierce County Deputy Sheriff's Independent Guild Executive Board
PCDSGuild.com
The Pierce County Deputy Sheriffs Guild is a labor organization of approximately 305 members and has been in existence for decades. We represent the rank-and-file, fully commissioned law enforcement employees of Pierce County that patrol your neighborhoods 24/7. We are separate in name from our brothers and sisters who work in the corrections bureau. We are made up of the ranks of Deputy, Detective, Sergeants, Detective Sergeants and Lieutenants. We work together and in collaboration with like agencies to provide a safer, better, and more stable working environment for our members.
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PCDSGuild
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