After initially voting against the proposal in March, the Kelso City Council voted Tuesday night to move forward with adding another police officer.

The council voted unanimously to add the department’s 28th officer. In March, the idea was first brought forward by councilmember Keenan Harvey after Police Chief Rich Fletcher presented the department’s annual report showing a 22% increase in calls for service. At the time, Fletcher said he would always welcome more officers but noted that Kelso’s staffing level is still higher than the state average.

The council ultimately chose to table the decision until their council retreat, where staffing needs were further discussed.

The Kelso Police Department says it is now accepting applications for lateral police officer candidates. Interested applicants can contact Captain Berglund at 360-423-1270. Additional information, including a $20,000 lateral incentive, is available on the department’s recruitment flyer posted on its Facebook page.