Fife police chief says youth detention center lacks officers and families

PIERCE COUNTY, Washington. — In a letter to his community, Fife Police Chief Pete Fisher explained the ongoing frustration with Rehmann Hall.

The letter follows a recent incident involving a teenager who allegedly assaulted his parents and was arrested on suspicion of assault, malicious mischief and “interfering with the reporting of domestic violence”.

Fischer said after officers took the suspect into custody, they attempted to take him to Rehmann Hall. However, Rehmann Hall “refused to pick up the juvenile and advised that they only record felonies.”

“This is an ongoing problem throughout Pierce County. Rehmann Hall has refused to book juvenile crime suspects on several occasions. “As a result, officers are left to decide for themselves what to do to try to protect the juvenile victims.” and choose the option that provides maximum mitigation for themselves and the communities they serve,” Fischer said in a statement.

Fisher said the teen was “throwing things around the house, making holes in the wall and attacking both of his parents.”

“You look at the juvenile crime going on in this area, it is becoming more frequent and violent and there needs to be accountability,” Fischer told KOMO News. Fife is not the first police department to publicly express concerns about juvenile detention.

Back in April, the Tukwila Police Department said it was “prepared to fail” when it came to handling juvenile cases. According to police, juvenile offenders cannot be placed in juvenile detention unless they meet specific criteria related to serious violent crimes.

“Putting officers in a position where they have to decide what to do with this violent child makes absolutely no sense, and I don’t want my officers to be in that position,” Fife said.

Fisher said the current policy at Rehmann Hall creates unnecessary danger for victims and the community. He says it also creates liability risks for officers and the communities they serve. Fisher said his department, along with other Pierce County police chiefs, met with officials at Rehmann Hall but said their concerns were not addressed.

“This is a problem that several departments are facing. We met with Rehmann Hall to resolve this issue, but this did not bring any results.”

Current policies create unnecessary danger for victims and the public, and create liability risks for officers and the communities they serve. This is unacceptable and something needs to change to ensure families are no longer victims and officers on the street are not put at a disadvantage. Fischer said in a statement.

KOMO News reached out to Rehmann Hall for an interview and did not hear back.