Resident urges Issaquah to boost police funding, cites peer‑city staffing ratios

Charles Winters, a longtime Issaquah resident, used the general public comment period to urge the council to prioritize police funding in the FY25–26 budget cycle and to address apparent staffing shortfalls in the Issaquah Police Department.

Winters told the council he lives on Squak Mountain, has compiled comparative data from peer cities, and asked the council to consider additional police funding. He said his peer‑city comparison (compiled as of October) showed Redmond with roughly a 564‑to‑1 resident‑to‑officer ratio, Mercer Island about 684‑to‑1, Kirkland about 692‑to‑1, and Issaquah about 738‑to‑1, and that those numbers concerned him as the police department seeks to remain competitive for recruitment and service.

Winters also acknowledged city hiring progress — staff reported the department had 57 of 61 authorized positions filled — but said Issaquah remains lower in the staffing ratio comparison and urged the council to examine police funding as a budget priority. Council President Walsh thanked Winters for bringing data to the council and staff committed to follow up and bring peer comparisons and staffing/square‑footage information to a future meeting.

No formal action followed public comment; council members asked staff to provide the underlying data and incorporate staffing comparisons into the follow‑up briefings.