Daily Archives: January 6, 2015

Experience a day in the life of a Bainbridge Island cop

An America's Most Wanted television crew sets up in the intersection of Winslow Way and Highway 305 on Bainbridge Island Thursday morning. In the police car is Bainbridge Island Police Officer Steve Cain who was involved in the car chase.
An America’s Most Wanted television crew sets up in the intersection of Winslow Way and Highway 305 on Bainbridge Island Thursday morning. In the police car is Bainbridge Island Police Officer Steve Cain who was involved in the car chase.

If you are interested in learning first hand what your local law enforcement does, apply for a hands-on learning experience with the Bainbridge Island Police Department. And it’s free.

The Citizens’ Police Academy is designed to show residents how the department functions, including everything from traffic enforcement, narcotics and criminal law to defensive tactics and investigations.

“The program was started to give citizens insight into what officers do while on patrol. It’s a great opportunity, as students get to gain a perspective of what happens behind the scenes, while also having the opportunity to get acquainted with some of the officers who serve them,” Chief of Police Matthew Hamner said in a news release.

While the academy is not intended to prepare people for a career in law enforcement, it is an opportunity better understand the job of local officers.

The academy is offered once a year. This year’s program runs on Tuesday nights from Tuesday, Feb. 10 through Tuesday, April 14. Classes are two hours long and start at 7 p.m. There are two optional Saturday sessions.

Students also have the opportunity to visit the CenCom 911 dispatch center, the Kitsap County Coroner’s Office and the Kitsap County Jail.

The class size is limited to 20 students.

For questions or an application, call the Bainbridge Island Police Department at 206-842-5211 or visit the department’s website.

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Bainbridge Island Fire opens its doors before February election

BI_Fire_Station_23-web

The Bainbridge Island Fire Department will be asking voters for a levy and 20-year $16 million bond next month during the special election.

Before voters  head to the ballot boxes, the departments is looking to answer any questions residents have on the levy and bond.

The levy would increase the 2015 regular property tax to 95 cents per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation. Without the increase it is estimated to be 86 cents.

The levy would be used to hiring three more firefighters, and pay for three that have been recently hired.  Those firefighters would be used to open Fire Station 23 on Phelps Road, which is currently closed and unmanned.

The money will not be collected until 2016.

The 20-year $16 million bond would be to pay for rebuilding, remodeling and equipping the department’s fire stations.

You can read more about the bond and levy details in a previous story I did in the Kitsap Sun.

The open houses will be:

  • January 07, 2015  6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Station 21 – 8895 Madison Avenue, NE
  • January 14, 2015  6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Station 22 – 7934 NE Bucklin Hill Road
  • January 21, 2015  6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Station 23 – 12985 Phelps Road
  • January 24, 2015 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Station 21 – 8895 Madison Avenue, NE
  • January 24, 2015  2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Station 22 – 7934 NE Bucklin Hill Road

Residents can also attend the bi-monthly fire commissioner meetings.

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