ABOUT US
About Us
Since 1992, Spokane Community Oriented Policing Services (C.O.P.S.) has been helping to promote and support an environment for a safe community. As a local non-profit agency, your neighborhood C.O.P.S. shops have been working right along side Spokane Police to help mediate neighborhood issues, facilitate block watch programs, provide Operation Family ID and organize National Night Out Against Crime just to name a few!
Want even more information? Check out Our Annual Report!
2023 Annual Report
Our Focus
Our number one focus is problem solving. POLICE WILL STILL RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES. However, many calls to the police are not police related and are more effectively handled by other agencies. As the number of non-emergency calls decrease, benefits to citizens increase. No single agency can solve complex social problems alone. A combined community-police effort restores the safety of our neighborhoods and business districts.
Our Mission
Spokane COPS is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) dedicated to crime prevention and safety for the Spokane community. Funded by the Spokane Police Department, and partnering with the City of Spokane and the Department of Corrections, we are here to make Spokane a safe environment for all members of this community.
Our Goals
With the help of community volunteers, Spokane COPS’ main goals are to allow:
- Officers to spend more time working with citizens to solve crime and disorder problems.
- Officers can more effectively use and share crime information with the public.
- Officers to know both a community’s problems and its residents, linking people with other public and private agencies that can help solve community concerns.
Our Story
In 1991, two young girls were abducted from their neighborhood in Spokane’s West Central area. One was found dead, the other has never been found. The shocking crimes brought West Central residents together and they were determined to find ways to make their children and homes safer. The meetings included representatives from the Police Department, Spokane Public Schools, the city’s Human Services Department, West Central Community Center, and the Washington State University (W.S.U.) Cooperative Extension Service. After months of meetings, these groups, police officers, and citizens from the neighborhood created C.O.P.S. West.
The police-trained citizen volunteers take reports, gather information about possible drug houses, and become effective crime fighters. A merchant donated a building at Elm and Boone, and volunteers renovated it. A governing board was created with the involvement of scores of residents. The volunteers established a schedule to keep the center open daily. Police officers use the location to write reports, meet with residents, and afford a visible presence.
Since the establishment of C.O.P.S. West, there are now a total of 12 neighborhoods that have opened their own C.O.P.S. substations. In each neighborhood where a C.O.P.S. substation is operating, it becomes a focal point for citizen involvement. We hope, eventually, most Spokane neighborhoods will have their own variation of a C.O.P.S. Shop, staffed by trained volunteers who take an active part in their own community safety.