Dear Edmonds:
On Jan. 4, 1995, I was hired by the Edmonds Police Department as a police cadet. I was a student at Shoreline Community College and one of my professors said Edmonds was where I belonged.
He was right. Next month will be 30 years serving you in this community that I have grown to love. My wife and I have raised three boys here and have been so blessed to call this place home.
This communication represents my feelings alone and I write to you as a community member who happens to also serve as an Edmonds police officer. My thoughts do not represent my department, city leadership or my union. In fact, this letter represents somewhat of a violation of personal rules about speaking out publicly, so I will say my piece and then go back to quietly working.
A good city where people want to work takes generations of blood, sweat and tears to build. As our department has grown, I have witnessed the tremendous sacrifice and humbling sense of honor that your officers bring to work every day.
We were the department that people wanted to work for. I would take people on ride-alongs and they would be amazed by how the community would wave at us. “With all their fingers even,” one officer from another jurisdiction once joked with me.
Our motto is, “Service before self.” It is a credo painted on our walls and etched in our character. My brothers and sisters in blue have held the intestines of stabbing victims in while waiting for aid. We have intercepted a man with a rifle as he walked toward an elementary school campus (then saved his life with department-provided first aid skills after shooting him). We have run toward danger and done it quietly, professionally and with honor.
I have watched with sadness as my fellow city employees prepare for layoffs. For many, other jobs will come soon enough, but it’s the loss of this place that cuts so deep. In the backdrop of a city grieving its decision to surrender its own fire department and wishing it could undo that decision because of where it has left us, we appear to be preparing to walk the same path with our police department. Will we be surprised at the outcome? Will we pause before it’s too late and reflect on reasons not to surrender something we have worked so hard to build?
Chief Michelle Bennett – our steadfast leader and a single mom of four – told us that she would leave before any of her personnel were laid off. As promised, she has announced her retirement before any of her personnel have received layoffs. This represents a monumental loss for our city. Our city administrators, elected leaders and mayor are vetting all of the options (exercising their due diligence), but in the end the financial outlook for the city is dire. Attempts to use “affordable” comparables of police services from five years ago for adjacent county-provided law enforcement services to what it would cost to work with those entities in 2025 dollars are a dream. The current cost of law enforcement services has experienced inflation in the same way that all things (including labor and the items needed to do our jobs) have. Stuff costs more than it used to.
Should the city decide to surrender control of law enforcement services in the same way it did with the fire service, the very predictable and preventable course of action we are experiencing with the regional fire authority will come to pass again. We have tried it and are presently experiencing the results of that folly. Furthermore, I would encourage citizens to reach out to their friends and family members served by other police or sheriff’s departments to compare the level of service and care provided by Edmonds PD with any other. I won’t speak poorly about my professional peers. I will simply say that I am proud to work in a city where we will still show up to unlock your car, take your theft or burglary report (in person), and will conduct ourselves in a manner that feels good and represents the community we stand for. That community is you.
There is a reason many law enforcement agencies must use $25,000 to $40,000 hiring bonuses to hire officers and are running short handed. This job is hard. We are overpaid about 97% of the time with an understanding that we will be there for the other 3%. I have been hit, cut, punched, spit on and told by people in crisis all the unseemly things that they would do to members of my family. I have picked up body parts and held the hand of dying people while lying to them that it was going to be alright. I carry post traumatic stress and the burdens of my brother and sister officers in a place where I also carry the honor and pride of serving alongside them every day. Serving each of you.
Believe it or not, I’m not here for the accolades, thanks or handshakes. Don’t get me wrong; they are appreciated. I am here because this calling and this community are the greatest. It is a privilege to serve you and look at my wife and kids and be able to tell them that I have done something worthwhile and that helps people. Something that we can be proud of.
This financial crisis and the decisions attached to it have names. Names like Misty, Molly, April, Tabatha, Nikolas and Samuel. These are names of fellow public servants that are proud to serve you every day. Once they and others like them depart, their absence will represent an undoing of a professional legacy that has taken generations to build. As we take pieces of this place away, it becomes something less.
We will still be here serving you every day, but each loss represents a reduction in the service that we can provide you. Seconds or minutes – when they really count – can last a long time. Unlike our firefighter brethren, law enforcement hasn’t traditionally been quite as politically active and are traditionally a bit less popular. We are OK with that. We get the quiet honor and privilege of serving you.
You have read my longwinded thoughts for a bit now and I appreciate it. I will leave with this. Edmonds, it has been an honor. Regardless of what decisions you must make about paying for law enforcement and public safety, we will serve in the same way we have until we are told to do otherwise. It would be sad for me to take off my Edmonds patch and join another law enforcement agency, but I will follow my oath regardless. In the meantime, please lean in and support your elected officials while they make the hard decisions. This is a time when failing to make hard decisions is also a decision: one that turns its back on those serving you every day.
Please take good care and call us when you need us.
Respectfully yours,
Aaron Greenmun 1448
Thank you Aaron for your kind, articulate words. I’d like to take a moment to express the gratitude I have for working in Edmonds. It has definitely been an honor and privilege. I do very much wish for the wellbeing of all who will be affected by this budget crisis. I have enjoyed my time getting to know the citizens, and police officers and staff, you will all be missed. Thank you. God speed.
Great police department, there when you need them. Unlike Seattle.
Keep it here.
Like Aaron, we raised 3 boys here over the last 35 years
I hope the citizens of Edmonds do everything possible to to Not let the EPD be shut down!! All the other cities are suffering from the exact same budget issues, does anyone really believe we will get the kind of service our PD provides from another cities PD?? I don’t understand how all of a sudden all these entities are having budget issues, how can this be?? Does anyone run numbers in advance?what is causing so many short falls of the budget? Maybe it’s time the city sells some of its assets instead of creating a environment that makes the community feel like it’s falling apart!.
The mayor and city council should be so ashamed of the financial mess they have put our community in. Public safety is the number one concern of citizens, followed by over taxation. Through “consultants” and pipe dreams, seeing short term funds from state and federal resources as unending budget fluff, the leaders that are elected to represent us have tanked our police and fire, while making more bike lanes and “districts” and planning local art.
Yes, sadly, jobs need to be cut, but have some common sense as to what the priorities are for a city and what oath you took. Thank you to the police that took their oaths seriously. God help us from the ravages of those who don’t.
The finanacial “mess ” was created by the previous Mayor Nelson and previous Councils not watching what was going on. Mayor Rosen was left with the mess to clean up. Not an easy task. I agree with the rest of your comments.
Thank you for your service and for such a well written article.
Soooo well said Aaron, As a long time resident of Edmonds, I can say first hand that the Edmonds Police dept is one of the things that makes this community such a great place to live, raise a family. They are the proverbial back bone of our community. They see the good, the bad, and most always do it with Grace. If we as citizens have any say at all, please don’t let this community asset go away.
A tragic folly for sure. We hear you and support you.
Thank you for your service and for articulating your thoughts in a clear and compelling way without any of the bitterness or rancor that has come to dominate so much of what passes for political speech these days.
My daughter is a police officer in KY so I have some knowledge of the stresses and the satisfaction that comes from doing the job that you do.
I have only admirable things to say about our Police Dept. They have helped me several times..and quickly!
Communities need Police Forces….period! Local Police forces, that know the NATURE of the area.
Thank you Aaron for your heartfelt comments. My wife and I were residents of Edmonds for 35 years. We raised our kids here. From my experience working with first responders in WA State, I believe that the Edmonds PD is one of the most professional and well led departments in the country. Former Chiefs Stern, Compaan, and current Chief Bennett personified service above self. There is no tougher job than being a police officer. It’s not hyperbole to say the men and women in blue put their lives on the line every day for us to protect and serve. Count us grateful.
Aaron is spot on. Farming out our policing is a really bad idea. However, it is not a plan as of this time. That being said, the rise in the police budget and top heavy management salaries is a part of the problem. Trimming will be necessary in EPD and every other City Department if the budget is to be balanced. Painful layoffs will be necessary in all departments. Same is true in private business (Boeing layoffs). In my view the problem was increased by the “free” federal Covid funds that Edmonds and almost every governmental institution received. It fueled big salary increases and silly spending and now the spigot is turned off. It created the forseeable consequence of future budget deficits obvious to many and sparked record inflation. Now the Piper must be paid for such shortsightedness. Edmonds is not alone. Many other cities and school districts facing the same issues
Thank you, Aaron, for writing this piece, and for the service you’ve given to our community. In my career, I have worked with many police departments all over the state, as well as some in other states. I can say, without reservation, that the Edmonds Police Department is one of the best, if not the best I’ve seen. For the mayor and counsil to even consider doing away with our police department is absolute lunacy, in my opinion.
Thank you Capt. Greenmun, for your service and your excellent reflection.
I sincerely hope that this change does not happen. We need community-our police and fire department, our schools, our social service agencies and our churches. This is what used to hold us together, and I believe it is a solution to the divisions we are now facing.
So would you all feel the same way about “keeping” our own Police Dept. if that means laying off a couple command staff AND the three most recent hired line officers; but going with the contracted County concept meant laying off the two command staff BUT keeping the three most recent hired line officers who would be driving the same cars in the same areas relating to the same city citizens with the same attitude of best service to the city as possible? You are all viewing this from a purely emotional viewpoint and the Mayor and Council should view it from an economic standpoint as well. Again, I commend the Mayor for taking an honest look at this and firmly urge him to take the best economic approach that keeps the most working boots on the ground. And this is nothing against our own Police Dept. Their Officer Association approach to our financial problem has been first class as far as I’m concerned and I want what is best for them and us. I don’t have the same warm and fuzzy notion about the Fire Fighters Association because they come across as just trying to bully us with my way or the highway. If they win I will need to change how I live and that ticks me off no end.
Boots on the ground are great but local accountability is, in my opinion, of greater importance. I suggest you investigate the problems Burien is having with the refusal of the King County Sheriff to enforce Burien’s anti-camping ordinance. Apparently at Dow Constantens direction.
Bridgit, I don’t have any real data but I have quite a few friends living in Shoreline where K.C. is contracted for police. I’ve asked all of them how well they think their city is run and they all say either, “I’ve never thought much about it” or, “we have no complaints.” That leads me to believe their system is working for them. Stanwood has used Snohomish County the same way for years and I haven’t heard of any big problems there either. I’m not saying I’m right, I’m saying keep an open mind about it. When I criticize our Mayor for what I think he’s doing wrong I think I have a duty to him to defend him when I think he’s doing something right. Studying every angle of this thing is the right thing to do IMO. Just because he failed on RFA doesn’t mean he has to fail on this too.
I appreciate you taking time to share feedback from neighbors to the south. I’m glad to hear that they haven’t had negative experiences.
I would say Stanwood being a city of roughly 7k compared to Edmonds 43k would make it difficult to use them as a metric of comparison for how adequately Snohomish could serve us. The sheriff also partners with the city of Snohomish, but the population there is nearly a quarter of what Edmonds is, and they also don’t have to contend with Hwy 99 running through their jurisdiction, which does have an impact on safety.
What you’re not answering (and it may be that I’m not asking clearly, so again, I mean this with no disrespect) is where you are finding the data regarding how many Edmonds officers would be laterally sworn in as deputies.
I keep reading from folks who are in favor of contracting the sheriffs dept, stating that it would be all of the exact same officers we have now serving our community. The same officers who know our city, know the residents, know the frequent flyers, etc etc. That there would be no loss of service or personal (short of two command staff).
Where is this information available to confirm?
That’s a no brainer. If I were the Mayor of Burien I would ask the Council for permission to temporarily proclaim the city parks now open to everyone for camping and encourage people with good motor homes and travel trailers to make use of all the parking lots at their will. Also encourage scouting groups and bicycle clubs to jump on this band wagon too and pitch their tents in the park. The homeless would be gone like wild geese and the county Sheriff would be jumping on enforcing the ordinance after about a week of putting up with this open affront to authority by the good folks of the town who should know better.
Clinton, would you be so kind as to share where you’re receiving your figures regarding the staffing projections, should the council decide to move forward with the contracting option?
From my understanding, based on the interviews the president of the association gave last week, the sheriffs office was only going to be taking on roughly 15-20 of our officers, which would lead to far more layoffs than 3 patrol officers and 3 command staff.
It’s also my understanding that the meeting between the Sheriff and the Chief is going to be taking place on Friday the 13th, so any updates to that initial projected number of transfers wouldn’t have been discussed yet.
All that said, I am genuinely interested in where you received/found information that states all of our current officers would stay on as deputies, therefore service would be exactly the same, because I haven’t been able to find any information that supports that theory.
Thank you in advance for any light you can shed on that!
Bridget, It was a rhetorical question just to try to get people to think practically as well as emotionally about the issue and understand what the Mayor has on his plate. I don’t care which way it goes because I’m not afraid of my shadow like everyone else in town and commenting here seems to be. Why you and others are jumping on me over this I cannot hope to understand. I roam the world happy and prepared. I always carry a serious knife for personal protection if needed and sometimes a big stick when I’m walking. I have a loaded revolver hidden in the house safely; I know how to use it and would not be afraid to if I had to. In short, I’m an almost 80 year old man in reasonably good health and if anyone tries to harm me I will do my best to try to harm them back whether the police are handy or not. I just want a good police force with unbiased and caring people doing the best job they can to keep the peace. I don’t care what color their uniform is or what the logo is on their cruiser. End of story.
Clinton, I apologize if it felt like I was jumping on you or being dismissive or rude in anyway. That truly wasn’t my intention in asking that question, and I feel badly that was how you received it. (That’s the big bugger with not being able to hear tone in written word!)
I’ve just read in multiple comments across articles here in the last few days, folks saying that virtually nothing would change when it came to the actual people driving those police vehicles, in terms of quantity of officers, as well as all being the same officers we have serving the community today.
Since it’s being stated and repeated as fact from a few people in multiple comment threads as an argument to support contracting the sheriffs department, I was asking in earnest where that data is coming from.
If you would be willing to share that source, I really would appreciate it.
Thank you for your service! We really were impressed by the Police Officers Association stepping up with ideas on how to trim the police budget.
It’s my understanding Police officers have EMS training. Could police officers take a more primary role for Basic Life Support calls? Fitch 2024 report shows 55% of South County Fire calls to Edmonds are BLS.
I’d love to see South County Fire / RFA come up with some cost savings measures vs nearly doubling our costs during this fiscal crisis. Like stop buying $70k – $90k v8 powered command vehicles. Firehouse magazine a FF trade publication, talks about smaller more fuel efficient vehicles the way of the future. Even all electric firetrucks. Fire departments are dropping the 60,000lb truck response to BLS calls, fewer costs & faster response times.
I appreciate this reader view, Aaron. My son (7) wants to be a police officer when he grows up and regularly dons his own roleplay uniform when he gets home from school and patrols the edge of our driveway to whistle at speeders going up and down our street. He admires our police officers and considers them the greatest of heroes. Personally, as a resident, I appreciate your integrity in providing service above all. Pride in the community in which you serve contributes to a greater quality of service in my opinion. In a city where public safety ranked as the highest of priorities, we still manage to put a price tag on it. In reading a recent article from Shoreline Area News on comparing police budgets of county vs city provided services, and levels of safety/challenges that come along with it, I thought it provided some data insight that’s beneficial and quite interesting.
https://www.shorelineareanews.com/2024/11/police-budgets-vary-widely-in-north.html
My hope is that the structural budget cuts, that look to be coming across the board, do not end up putting the city in a “death by a thousand papercuts” position that sacrifices the safety of our community. Time will tell. Until then, thank you for upholding the law, and if it comes down to it, my son will gladly wear his uniform and help out where he can.
Oh That is such a sweet story. 7 I bet that is such fun to watch. I just came to comment because I love the story. Hello young officer in training. Deb.
I was shocked and disappointed to hear of the plan to consolidate the Edmonds Police Department with some bigger group. Has no one been following the disasters around the nation of cities who have given up the autonomy of local policing . Someone needs to look seriously at what is really importnant for Edmonds to remain the lovely city ithat it is.
I read the police blotter every week. Many of the calls or reported sort of crimes like a couple yelling at each other well this is the type of things that maybe a county dept. would not respond to as well they are busy. Also I doubt you get as much help with crowd control etc. during the almost weekly or daily in the Bowl. The county may not put as much emphasis on these things as our own police department does and will continue to do. SO well I would expect good service for crimes but some things I think could be settled without people calling them constantly therefore allowing our police to concentrate on things like watching around our SCHOOLS for men exposing themselves to kids I assume. How long will he be in jail ha and how about a picture of him with his pants up so we can keep a look out ( we neighbors here on the hill who see your kids daily and are concerned about them as that area is actually one with many calls. SO ok Have a good one and Go Seahawks. I am making goodies to munch on during the ballgame. Later.
Awesome piece of work Aaron! Your realistic perspective is refreshing. Having experienced the unsettling threat of changes in police work during my 30 years with the King County Sheriff’s office I can tell you that there are viable, alternatives to a small city police department. Some even come with options not available with a local department. i wish all of you the best. You are all part of the solution. Bring your positive, problem solving attitude with you and you will make law enforcement better for everyone.