King County Sheriff Sue Rahr told King County Council members on Sept. 30 that a proposed budget would leave only one deputy per shift to cover all of Boulevard Park and White Center.

Another deputy could patrol Skyway but there would be no deputies at storefront offices or on Vashon Island, according to Rahr.

The proposed budget was offered by interim county Executive Kurt Triplett.

Rahr said a $3.5 million cut was made because Burien police will take over coverage of the newly annexed southern portion of North Highline. Burien contracts with King County for police services but the city is able to negotiate its level of service.

"The appropriate reduction due to workload for the annexed area is only seven deputies," Rahr said. "However this budget proposes cutting an additional 27 deputies due to the annexation.

"After the seven deputies are cut from the new annexation area, there will only be 38 left to serve all of White Center, Skyway, South Park, Boulevard Park and Vashon Island.

"From that small pool I should cut 27 deputies, a 75 percent cut in police protection to the highest crime neighborhoods in King County?"

Acting budget director Beth Goldberg countered that only 20 deputy positions would be cut. Only six of those are currently occupied, Goldberg added.

The Seattle Times quoted Goldberg as saying, "What she (Rahr) is saying is just frankly not reflective of what's in the budget."

On Oct. 2, Sheriff's spokesman John Urquhart issued additional information concerning the effect of Burien annexation on the sheriff's budget numbers.

Urquhert said the sheriff's office supplies eight police officers to cover the area that will be formally turned over to Burien in March.

With the change, the county will be saving $666,666 but the Executive's budget cuts the sheriff's office by $3.5 million, according to Urquhart.

"So the obvious question is if the cost savings to King County is $666,666 due to the North Highline annexation, why cut the Sheriff's Office by $3.5 million...more than five times higher than it should be? "Urquhart delcared. "Good question. We've asked. So far, the Sheriff's Office has not been provided the documentation behind the cuts."