Crider releases 10-year plan for Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office

WALLA WALLA COUNTY – The 2025-2035 strategic plan for the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office has been released by Sheriff Mark Crider. It includes three goals: increase staffing, develop a plan for a new building and maintain accreditation.

Crider said since he was elected in 2019, the Walla Walla County Commissioners have increased the staffing by four deputies. Currently, on the patrol side, WWCSO operates with a minimum of 3 deputies per shift. However, with recent change to state law, primarily de-escalation tactics, Crider said WWCSO should be operated at a bare minimum with four deputies per shift and ideally with five.

Additionally, with growth in the Burbank area, WWCSO needs two deputies assigned there per shift. The goal is to work with the Walla Walla County Commissioners to find additional funding to hire an additional six deputies, plus add one detective, over the next decade.

As for the current WWCSO building, which was built in 2001 with a 20-year life expectancy, Crider said there is limited space for evidence storage, plus space for personnel is sparse. He adds the training room is also insufficient and unsuitable for hosting other agencies. WWCSO will work with the Walla Walla County Board of Commissioners on developing a plan for a new state-of-the-art facility.

WWCSO was accredited in May 2023 and Crider said the goal is to maintain and preserve accreditation standards through the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. The accreditation process happens every four years. The complete strategic plan document can be found on the county website or the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

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