$1.4 million in state funding secured for Spokane Police Academy expansion

Two members of the Spokane City Council, along with two state representatives and a senator in Olympia, have secured $1.4 million in funding in the state budget for updates and expansions to the Spokane Police Academy.

Councilmembers Wilkerson and Zack Zappone, along with Senator Andy Billing and Representatives Timm Ormsby and Marcus Riccelli, secured the funds in ESSB 5200, this biennium’s capital budget recently signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.

“Council Member Zappone and I recently toured the Spokane Police Academy and saw how badly it needed to be updated. We prioritized advocating for funding during the recent legislative session, and I am glad to see those efforts pay off. This funding will provide necessary additional basic law enforcement classes,” said District 2 Councilmember Wilkerson.

Her compatriot in District 3 agreed.

“After seeing the need to improve and expand the academy, we worked closely with our 3rd Legislative District representatives to ensure funding was acquired,” said Councilmember Zappone. “This facility provides training to prospective officers who will serve across the state, which is a necessary investment in the future of Spokane and the rest of Washington.”

Funding such as this is far from a sure thing, and all parties involved highlighted each other's work in ensuring that these funds remained in the budget for this biennium.

“A key to keeping our community safe is having sufficient peace officers and ensuring they are well trained. This capital budget investment helps us to achieve those goals. I was glad to advocate for it in the Legislature,” said Sen. Andy Billig.

“Collaboration was key to achieving this, and I look forward to the continued work happening at the police academy,” said Riccelli.

Details on the timeline and scope of the expansion are still forthcoming.