Soap Lake PD receives grant funding
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 2 months AGO
The Soap Lake Police Department received a $290,655 grant to pay for an officer's wage for four years from the Community Oriented Policing Services U.S. Department of Justice. SLPD is one of six cities that received funding in Washington.
SLPD PHOTO
SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Police Department just received a $290,655 grant from the Community Oriented Policing Services U.S. Department of Justice. According to SLPD Chief Ryan Cox the funding will be used to pay an officer for a four-year period.
“It's to basically rehire or retain a police officer so we don't have to make budget cuts and let an officer go,” Cox said. “There's always a possibility of that. We just don't want it to be a reality. So we, when we look at our funds, it's always good to keep the grants there especially with the possibility that we may have to cut somebody if the city funding dries up at some point.”
Cox applied for the grant in July and found out a couple days ago that the SLPD was awarded the funding.
“It's amazing to the fact that we can continue our 24-hour coverage to the city and have less burden on the general fund knowing that we have grant funding that comes in to retain a police officer,” Cox said.
There are currently six officers employed at SLPD, three of whom are grant funded now, according to Cox.
COPS gave out $156.6 million dollars in funding to fund police officers across the United States. There are a total of six cities in Washington that received the funding. The City of Auburn received almost $1.6 million. The City of Federal Way received $500,000. The City of Oak Harbor received $625,000. The City of Sedro Woolley received $125,000. SLPD received their grant. The City of Spokane Valley received around $1.2 million.
ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
Mayor Peter Sharp takes oath of office
SOAP LAKE – Grant County Commissioner Kevin Burgess adminstered the oath of office to Mayor Peter Sharp Wednesday. Sharp was previously appointed to this role at the Sept. 18, 2024, council meeting after his predecessor Allen DuPay quit during the Aug. 7, 2024, meeting.
Newhouse, colleagues introduce infrastructure bill
WASHINGTON D.C. — On November 21, 2025, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced the Urban Canal Modernization Act, HR 6279, aimed at addressing the deteriorating condition of urban canal infrastructure across the country. This legislation, sponsored by Representatives Dan Newhouse, R-WA; Mike Simpson, R-ID; Adam Gray, D-CA; and Russ Fulcher, R-ID focuses on providing federal support for the extraordinary operation and maintenance of urban canals deemed to be at significant risk of failure. “As communities in Grant County and elsewhere face serious risks from aging canal systems, it is imperative that we act now to ensure vital water infrastructure is maintained and upgraded,” Newhouse wrote in a statement. “The Bureau of Reclamation’s canals are in dire need of repairs, and the surrounding communities who rely on them would be at risk if they were to fail. This legislation provides local authorities with additional resources to manage these critical pieces of infrastructure while protecting the people and property around canals of concern.”
Ephrata water tower waiting for final tests
EPHRATA — The City of Ephrata is still waiting for the final testing to come back to the water tower. The city had originally hoped the tower would be connected to the water system by Thanksgiving; however, the intensive water testing is taking longer than anticipated.