Submitted by City of Olympia
The City of Olympia Police Department is pleased to announce the reinstatement of a popular program, the Downtown Walking Patrol. Beginning today, one officer is assigned to foot patrol in the downtown core. The program had been reduced and then stopped completely in 2010 due to lack of funding. In 2012, voters in Olympia approved a measure to increase the local sales tax to fund Public Safety needs. With these additional resources, the Police Department is able to field one officer for the Downtown Walking Patrol in 2013 and plans to add another officer in 2014.
Officer Jeff Herbig, a veteran officer of the Olympia Police Department, has been selected to fill this position. Officer Jeff Herbig brings a wealth of experience, police expertise, and common sense to this position. Over the course of his law enforcement career he has been a School Resource Officer, a Detective, a Police Training Officer, and served on the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force.
The Walking Patrol Officer will be dedicated to solidifying the working relationships with the businesses, community members, and stakeholders in our downtown area. In addition, the officer will be focusing on “hot spots” of illegal activity, a primary strategy used by the Department throughout the City. The Department worked with the Olympia Downtown Association (ODA), the Parking & Business Improvement Area (PBIA), and others to define the Officer’s duties. The goal of the program is to help ensure that Downtown Olympia is a good place to work, visit, and play. Connie Lorenz, Executive Director of the ODA says, “The ODA is delighted to have the Olympia Police Department Walking Patrol back on the streets of downtown Olympia. Having the Walking Patrol back in downtown has been a long-time goal of the Safety Committee of the ODA.”
Officer Herbig will be working Tuesdays-Fridays during business and shopping hours. To contact Officer Herbig, please call the Olympia Police Department at 753-8300.
