Redmond proposes levy to hire more cops to fight property crime



REDMOND -- Police Chief Ron Gibson says he needs more people on patrol to fight a rapidly increasing number of property crime cases in the city of Redmond.

Elaine Flory says she grew up in a very different Redmond than her grandson.

“Back then, strangers were friends you hadn’t met and everyone knew everybody and I didn’t know if doors had locks or not," she said.

In just the past few years, Gibson said calls for help increased by almost 10 percent. Many of those calls were for car prowls, home burglaries and car thefts.

“We’ve seen over 25% increase in property crime since 2012. This is consistent throughout King County and throughout the state," Gibson said.

A new proposed property tax levy would pay for the salaries of four new police officers. Two officers would work strictly on property crime in town.

Flory said she will have to consider the proposal. If it means a safer Redmond for her grandson, she said, then it might be worth the price.

Flory said, "Being on a fixed income, of course, more taxes isn’t going to be a good thing -- but having more police officers to investigate crime is good."