Elected sheriff in Snohomish County to take over control of jail

Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick will take over control of the county's Corrections Department beginning in January.

The County Council voted 4-1 Monday to transfer administration of the jail from the county executive's office to the elected sheriff. The vote came despite concerns from some county officials that no cost-benefit analysis or transition plan had been presented for the move.

Councilman Mike Cooper, D-Edmonds, spoke forcefully for the transfer of the jail's 360 employees and $38 million annual budget. He said morale among corrections officers was low and that the county had spent millions in overtime at the jail over the past several years.

"This will allow us to save money and infuse a new culture and new leadership into corrections," Cooper said.

The only no vote was cast by Councilman John Koster, R-Arlington, who said the council had not seen an analysis of the costs and the promised efficiencies, nor any implementation plan.

"This might be a good plan, but I don't know," Koster said.

County Corrections Director Steve Thompson and his deputy, Susan Clawson, submitted their resignations Oct. 31, effective Jan. 1, over what they said was a lack of analysis about the proposed transfer and the failure of the council to consult with jail leaders.

When Thompson took over in 2003, the jail was under six different criminal investigations by the Everett Police Department. Under his leadership, inmate injuries, complaints and the use of force by correction's officers dropped significantly.

Thompson also called attention to the high absenteeism among guards and said that overtime would be reduced by $1 million if guards showed up for work and stopped calling in sick.

But Thompson's tough approach to officer discipline and scheduling led to hundreds of grievances and dozens of complaints of unfair labor practices being filed over the past several years.

Cooper told his council colleagues Monday that his 15-year experience as president of a firefighters union led him to conclude that the excessive use of sick leave is a "symptom of bad morale." He said new leadership could lower the absenteeism, reduce legal costs and improve labor relations in the jail.

Sheriff Lovick told the council that his staff has identified $500,000 in potential savings to the county by reorganizing and merging some duties between the two departments, such as prisoner transport.

Lovick said he has a record of good labor relations and that his deputies have filed no grievances or unfair labor practices since he took over in 2007.

Lovick presently oversees 360 employees.

County Executive Aaron Reardon had raised concerns about the proposed merger, citing the lack of analysis or planning. But after Monday's vote he expressed confidence that the Corrections Department was well-run and that a transition could be accomplished without serious problems.

"This should be a turnkey operation for the sheriff," he said.

Lynn Thompson: 206-464-8305 or lthompson@seattletimes.com