SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is seeking funding from the community after the City of Spokane cut the program's funding earlier this year.

The city chose not to renew its original contract with COPS in September 2024, citing an effort to close a $50 million budget deficit, but proposed a different two-year agreement . The new contract, however, provided less funding to the program.

COPS says the change forced the board of directors to reorganize themselves, lay off all paid staff members, cut some programs, and significantly reduce expenses. Now, only six of the program’s neighborhood offices remain open with limited hours of operation, and about 100 volunteers remain with the program.

“Currently, the COPS program has barely enough money to mak

See Full Page