What I found when we looked closer
Walla Walla is the county seat and one of the largest cities in southeastern Washington. With College Place and unincorporated Walla Walla East, the urban area is about 45,500 people, and the Oregon border is about six miles south. The city's wine and college economy also brings a steady flow of visitors.
In an area this connected, a city report often becomes part of a case shared with the sheriff's office, a neighboring city, or an Oregon agency.
Following one report through the building
The first thing we do with a new department is trace where a report goes after the officer hits submit. Here, it passes through 4 hands:
- 1Patrol officer
- 2Sergeant
- 3Detectives
- 4Walla Walla County prosecutor
Every one of those readers needs the same facts from the first draft. That is what shaped what we built.
What we built for them
What we're watching
These are the signals that will tell us whether it's working here:
- Detective time to locate key statements
- Same-shift report completion
- Shared cases handed off without a rewrite
Figures on this page come from the department's own published materials. We only publish Code Four results after the department reviews them.
