West Richland plans town hall on proposed police station

West Richland will hold a final town hall to discuss a proposal to build a new police station.

The city plans to submit a bond request on the April 2019 ballot to voters for a $12.5 million police station.

If approved, it will cost property owners an estimated 42 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or $84 a year for a $200,000 home.

The meeting is at 6 p.m., Nov. 7, in the city council chambers, 3100 Belmont Blvd.

The 22,500-square-foot station would replace the current 3,500-square-foot facility on West Van Giesen Street, which the city and its 23-person police force have outgrown. The meeting comes as the city celebrates its inclusion on a list of Washington’s safest cities.

Safewise included West Richland in its 20 Safest Cities of 2018 list, one of just two cities in Eastern Washington to be included. Liberty Lake was the other.

“With a population of 14,127, West Richland had 0.98 violent crimes per 1,000 residents and 9.41 property crimes per 1,000, it said, citing 2016 FBI crime statistics.