King County Council approved a supplemental budget July 15 that includes $845,000 in funding for the King County Sheriff’s Office (KSCO) in hopes of better staffing for unincorporated areas.

The KCSO funding is part of an amendment to the budget proposed by Councilmembers Sarah Perry and Reagan Dunn. The council members hope it will restore staffing levels to unincorporated areas of King County like Fall City. Levels began to decline earlier this year after KCSO was told a county budget crisis could decrease its funding by $30.2 million.

These potential cuts were due to a $150 million deficit in King County’s general fund as it’s developing its biennial budget for 2026-27.

At a King County Council Fiscal Management Committee meeting Feb. 26, King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall said these cuts would hit unincorporated parts of King County, like Fall City, the hardest because she would move about 50% of deputies serving unincorporated communities into different positions.

“Response times may be delayed when there is an obvious danger to a person’s life, including in-progress crimes like burglaries, domestic violence and other violent crimes,” she said.

“Response times to non-life threatening calls will be delayed or there may be no response at all. People will be told to submit reports online, but those reports that are filed may not be investigated. There will be no emphasis patrols, including traffic enforcement, and many other services will be significantly reduced or discontinued altogether.”

The effort to include KCSO funding in the supplemental budget was “championed” by Perry, who represents the Valley as part of District 3.

“Public safety and knowing a sheriff’s deputy will respond in times of need continues to be one of the top two highest priorities for residents in my district year after year,” Perry said in a news release. “We need to set the Sheriff’s Office up for success, so that when unforeseen costs arise, they aren’t resolved at the expense of residents of unincorporated King County.”

Perry and Dunn’s amendment also “initiates the development of a work plan to determine an appropriate staffing model for the sheriff’s office that meets the needs of unincorporated residents and regional partners,” the release says.

Once the ordinance is signed by the King County Executive, it will become effective 10 days later, but it will take some time for KCSO to re-allocate staffing, according to King County spokesperson David Shurtleff.

To see the full ordinance, visit mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/Legislation.aspx.