Sheriff Rob Snaza talks to commissioners during a public meeting Tuesday afternoon at the Historic Lewis County Courthouse in Chehalis.
Commissioner Bobby Jackson talks with members of the Lewis County Sheriff's Office Tuesday afternoon at the Historic Lewis County Courthouse in Chehalis.
Sheriff Rob Snaza is looking to draw the line on 911 nuisance calls by proposing a new ordinance that would make misusing the 911 line a criminal offense — a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in county jail or a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
Snaza announced his plan during a meeting between Sheriff’s Office command staff and the Lewis County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. He told the commissioners that his department doesn’t currently have the authorization to arrest someone who misuses 911 unless they communicate direct threats over the phone.
“I was made aware of an incident that had occurred about an individual who calls 911. He was intoxicated. He’s not being threatening, (but) he says, ‘You need to get a cop here right now. There’s a situation next door,’” described Snaza to Lewis County Commissioners and staff in attendance.
The suspect, according to Snaza, repeatedly called 911 to voice the same complaint, which resulted in the department’s deputies tracking down and confronting the individual.
Although the Sheriff’s Office did ultimately record an arrest of the caller in question due to the fact that he threatened another person he reportedly dialed, Snaza mentioned that he is in the process of composing a law that would cover any loopholes preventing county authorities of arresting individuals who are “taking up 911 time.”
He further stated that he has asked Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer to assist him in looking over several legislative drafts of the proposed ordinance before it’s officially presented to the Board of County Commissioners for final approval.
“It’s just a little fix. I think we can get it through and hopefully it will be in front of you shortly,” added Snaza.
He also noted that the same types of ordinances have been approved in Okanogan County in Eastern Washington and in nearby Toledo in the effort of curtailing callers who routinely harass 911 operators.
Snaza’s recommendation is the Sheriff’s Office’s latest attempt to improve Lewis County 911 Communications Division services in “finding ways to affirmatively promote and preserve trust, confidence and a feeling of safety, security and quality service for all members of our community,” as stated in the unit’s online mission statement.
