Oak Harbor police report 3,124 traffic stops in 2025, zero pursuits and 14 use-of-force incidents; co-responder services highlighted
May 07, 2026 | Oak Harbor, Island County, Washington
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Oak Harbor police told the Police Community Advisory Board on May 6 that department data for 2025 showed 3,124 traffic stops, zero vehicle pursuits and 14 documented use-of-force incidents, and staff emphasized continued reliance on a county-provided co-responder for mental-health calls.
Presenting the department's bias-based profiling analysis tied to accreditation, Chief Slo said the traffic-stop count included warnings, written warnings and notices of infraction and that about 87–90% of stops ended in warnings while around 10–12% resulted in infractions. He cautioned that officer-recorded race fields and small subgroup totals can introduce error in percentage comparisons. "You got to take it with a grain of salt," the chief said, noting a subgroup of 72 stops can distort an apparent rate.
On use-of-force and pursuits, the chief said Oak Harbor recorded zero pursuits in 2025 and summarized 14 use-of-force incidents ranging from firearms drawn to control holds and takedowns. The department said it prioritizes alternatives to pursuits and uses reported incidents to inform training and de-escalation practice.
Board members asked about mental-health response. Staff confirmed an embedded county social worker co-responder who rides with patrol and is present Monday–Friday; the chief added that designated-crisis-responder (DCR) services and contracting are administered regionally by the Behavioral Services Organization (BSO), and that local DCR capacity is limited, sometimes requiring telehealth or travel from neighboring counties.
During member comments, concerns were raised about the anticipated relocation of the nonprofit Garage of Blessings to a strip-mall unit (pet-store area) and the city's cleanup costs for illegal camps and debris. The chief said recent city cleanup efforts have cost roughly $33,000–$34,000 and urged nonprofits to work with the city to limit environmental impacts.
The department said it will continue to monitor trends, refine training and coordinate with regional partners to improve behavioral-health response.
Presenting the department's bias-based profiling analysis tied to accreditation, Chief Slo said the traffic-stop count included warnings, written warnings and notices of infraction and that about 87–90% of stops ended in warnings while around 10–12% resulted in infractions. He cautioned that officer-recorded race fields and small subgroup totals can introduce error in percentage comparisons. "You got to take it with a grain of salt," the chief said, noting a subgroup of 72 stops can distort an apparent rate.
On use-of-force and pursuits, the chief said Oak Harbor recorded zero pursuits in 2025 and summarized 14 use-of-force incidents ranging from firearms drawn to control holds and takedowns. The department said it prioritizes alternatives to pursuits and uses reported incidents to inform training and de-escalation practice.
Board members asked about mental-health response. Staff confirmed an embedded county social worker co-responder who rides with patrol and is present Monday–Friday; the chief added that designated-crisis-responder (DCR) services and contracting are administered regionally by the Behavioral Services Organization (BSO), and that local DCR capacity is limited, sometimes requiring telehealth or travel from neighboring counties.
During member comments, concerns were raised about the anticipated relocation of the nonprofit Garage of Blessings to a strip-mall unit (pet-store area) and the city's cleanup costs for illegal camps and debris. The chief said recent city cleanup efforts have cost roughly $33,000–$34,000 and urged nonprofits to work with the city to limit environmental impacts.
The department said it will continue to monitor trends, refine training and coordinate with regional partners to improve behavioral-health response.
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