I transcribed a portion of the presentation at the 1/15/18 Whatcom County Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee meeting given by Jeff Parks, Undersheriff, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office. The presentation was regarding an agenda item for the committee that I have discussed in a previous blog post.
Continue reading
January 10, 2019 Dena Jensen
This week, now that the Whatcom County Council agenda for next week has been released, I have more questions about jail matters that I am uneducated on!
On the agenda for the Whatcom County Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee is a “Proposed Ordinance for Action January 15, 2019.” This proposal was introduced, (according to a reference on the copy of the proposed ordinance) by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office on December 4, 2018. I don’t know to what body or how that ordinance was introduced. There’s also a memo written by Sheriff Elfo explaining reasons for “repealing and replacing Whatcom County Code 1.28, Standards for Correctional Facilities.”
Continue reading
Click the graphic to go to the meeting calendar for the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force
November 7, 2017 Dena Jensen
To try to stay on top of actions that will help reduce further injustice being perpetrated on incarcerated individuals at our downtown Bellingham jail I sent a letter today to Whatcom County Council and Deputy Executive Schroeder today about the consent agenda item on the Council’s Finance and Adminstrative Services Committee agenda tomorrow (11/8) about renovations on the downtown Bellingham jail. You can send one too! : council@co.whatcom.wa.us.
November 3, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2017
Legal Action Moves Forward Against Top Whatcom County Officials
Bellingham, WA- Community leader, Rosalinda Guillen, filed a lawsuit for over $230,000,000 on October 10, 2017 in Whatcom County Superior Court against Defendants, Sherriff Bill Elfo, County Prosecutor David McEachran, and County Executive Jack Louws, based on their unlawful actions in the 2015 election year. The lawsuit alleges that Louws, Elfo, and McEachran violated Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 42.17A by using county resources for their reelections and publishing a biased and deceptive mailer to registered voters. Continue reading
September 22, 2017 Dena Jensen
Here’s my latest letter to the council regarding the need to renovate the existing jail facility now. It was sent to council@co.whatcom.wa.us, and copied to all the city councils, the County Executive, and the Sheriff. Keep writing and calling!
Dear Whatcom County Council:
I am writing to call on you to move forward as quickly as possible with renovations on our existing Whatcom County Jail facility on Grand Ave., that will address necessary and critical life safety issues. Continue reading
Annual Incarceration Costs vs. Jail Sales Tax Revenue
Here are the numbers to help you make your decision on the county’s proposal to borrow $110 million to build a new jail:
Amount borrowed: $ 110,000,000 Continue reading
September 1, 2017 Sandy Robson
Back on August 2, 2017, I had written a piece about having heard Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo, who was a guest on KGMI’s “Saturday Morning Live” (SML) July 22, 2017, conservative talk radio program, hosted by local Tea Partier, Kris Halterman. Sheriff Elfo was there to discuss the proposed new Whatcom County Jail which would be funded by a sales tax, a tax that would last for the next 30 years. The jail sales tax proposition will appear on the November general election ballot, to be rejected or approved by Whatcom County voters. Continue reading
Look at the bottom of the agenda to review the introduction items, and you will see a “Resolution adopting a Statement of Incarceration Prevention, Criminal Justice, and Jail Planning Principles for Whatcom County’s criminal justice and behavioral health systems (AB2016-072).” Any comments on that will need to be made at open session in the evening. Continue reading
noisy waters northwest 
You must be logged in to post a comment.