Please sign a petition authored by concerned Kitsap County citizens requesting a conversation with Poulsbo city leadership and police in response to the recent killing of citizen Justin Moegling. Kitsap County signatures only please. 

To: Mayor Becky Erickson, Poulsbo City Council, Chief Harding

Re: Poulsbo Policing

As concerned residents of North Kitsap, we request a public meeting in July with the Poulsbo Police Department’s person or persons responsible for police training, with the Navigator who works in partnership with the police, and with any other relevant Poulsbo staff person. In the absence of extensive information available as the investigation of the police-involved shooting of Justin Moegling proceeds, we seek constructive means to understand police procedures, policies, and training, especially those involving de-escalation, in our city.

Poulsbo’s ability to enforce the law through de-escalation techniques and mental health crisis intervention are of great concern to our community. We understand the Navigator is on duty only during weekday hours and we wish to know what policies are in place when the Navigator is unavailable. We know there are ongoing requests from PPD for hiring more police officers; we want to know what plans exist to expand Navigator support around the clock, and whether this is of the highest priority.

The community’s relationship with police has sometimes been a fraught one since the police-involved shooting of Stonechild Chiefstick six years ago. A goal of the meeting would be to begin building communication and interaction. Direct engagement and open dialogue with police and our elected city officials will constitute an essential step toward mutual understanding. 

We also register the apprehension that exists statewide in the community regarding mandates from the federal government that contravene our state’s Keep Washington Working law—mandates which target immigrants, which have ordered the arrest of elected officials, attorneys, students, and other private citizens, which forcefully curb free speech and assembly, and which call for significant enhancement of policing and ICE, CBP, DHS, and HSI activities.

The objectives of this meeting include:

-Gaining a better understanding of the Navigator’s role and responsibilities within the department
-Learning more about current de-escalation and crisis policies, training, and response strategies
-Sharing community concerns, experiences, and suggestions

We request that this meeting be scheduled at a time and location allowing for broad public participation, including both in-person and virtual attendance options if possible.

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