State sheriffs, police chiefs association meeting in Kennewick this week

The Tri-Cities better be on good behavior this week, with the state’s top law enforcement officers in town for their spring conference.

About 450 people are expected to gather May 23-26 at Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

That number includes Washington’s almost 300 chiefs and 39 sheriffs.

And on Wednesday night, after two full days of training and networking, attendees will see the host city’s top cop — Police Chief Ken Hohenberg — installed president for the next year.

“It truly is pretty cool, especially at this point in my career, to be in this position and help lead the organization,” he told the Herald. “We have great chiefs and sheriffs across the state. … When you need something, you just pick up the phone and get a hold of them. That’s the power and strength of WASPC.”

Hohenberg will be the Mid-Columbia’s first chief to lead the state association.

Former Benton County Sheriff Pete Harrison was president in WASPC’s second year, 1963-64, and former Franklin County Sheriff Richard Lathim held the position in 2007-08.

The conference agenda has sessions on fingerprinting at arrest, “understanding perceptions and bias,” working with advocacy groups in jail, turning adversaries into allies and “The New Face of Terrorism.”

“Obviously, there are a lot of issues going on across the country, especially when it involves departments being connected to their community and having community trust,” Hohenberg said.

Hohenberg, who will replace Mason County Sheriff Casey Salisbury, said it takes a commitment to be on the association’s executive board and take on the role of president. He said he is fortunate to have good command staff, and the support of Kennewick City Manager Marie Mosley and city council members.

When Lathim was president, he encouraged Hohenberg to get involved as an associate member and appointed him to the executive board.

Hohenberg said it is his turn to pay it forward and try to groom someone with a Tri-City’s law enforcement agency to take on a WASPC leadership role.

This is the fourth time the conference has been in Kennewick since Hohenberg became chief 13 years ago. However, this may be the last.

The association was scheduled to return in two years, but the board had to cancel the contract and rebook in Spokane.

The problem is that WASPC has outgrown the vendor space at the convention center, and the conference makes money from vendors paying to have a spot to advertise their wares, Hohenberg said.

The association is renting space to vendors in the lobby area this year, just to accommodate as many companies as possible.

“It’s a great problem to have, but by the same token, the reality of it is, being a Tri-City guy, I’d like to have all those guys come here and spend their money,” Hohenberg said. “It allows us to really show off the pride in the community and the Tri-Cities.”

If Kennewick is successful in getting voters on Aug. 2 to approve a sales tax increase, then the proposed structure called The Link would allow WASPC to return with a convention center expansion, he said.

Attendees of previous Kennewick conferences have commented that they like the nontraditional convention food and feel welcome, Hohenberg said, “which is a reflection on the Tri-Cities as a whole.”

This story was originally published May 22, 2016 at 7:04 PM with the headline "State sheriffs, police chiefs association meeting in Kennewick this week."