Sheriff Tanksley speaks at Birch Bay incorporation meeting

Sheriff Donnell Tanksley answered questions on how the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) could support law enforcement in Birch Bay if it became a city during the Birch Bay Incorporation Association (BBIA) meeting on February 20.

Speaking to a crowd of several dozen people at North Bay Community Church, with more watching remotely, Tanksley made it clear he was neither for nor against incorporation. He said he was only stating how WCSO could provide services to Birch Bay if it incorporated and the residents wanted to contract law enforcement services with the sheriff’s office, rather than starting their own police department.

“I think it’s incredibly tough to start your own police department from scratch,” Tanksley said. “It is possible, but I think the challenge would be for the residents because it would be something new.”

The 2008 Birch Bay incorporation feasibility study suggested that, if Birch Bay were to incorporate, its residents would need to contract with the sheriff’s office or city of Blaine to maintain a similar level of service.

“Those deputies would be assigned to Birch Bay officially as the Birch Bay Police Department,” Tanksley said.

The city of Birch Bay would pay the wages for law enforcement personnel, who would be added to the sheriff’s office current force.

At bare-bones, Birch Bay would need at least one lieutenant, one sergeant, one ID technician and five deputies, which would cost $1.2 million for personnel salaries and benefits without overtime calculated, Tanksley said. However, the city would likely need closer to 10 or 11 deputies, Tansksley said.

The national average for police officers per person is 2.5 to 3.5 officers per 1,000 people, but those averages are much lower on the west coast, Tanksley said. The WCSO average is about one officer per 1,000 people, Tanksley said, and Birch Bay, with a population of about 10,400 people, would need about 11 deputies.

For comparison, the city of Blaine has 15 officers for a population of 6,200.

If incorporated, Birch Bay’s city council or city manager would have influence on the services the WCSO provides to Birch Bay, which could include an investigator, SWAT and canine services, Tanksley said.

The top 911 calls in Birch Bay from December 2022 to February 2025 were traffic incidents, follow-up investigations and to assist citizens, Tanksley said. Other top calls included agency assistance, watch-fors and domestic disputes.

In 2023, the WCSO received 3,000 calls for Birch Bay, which increased to about 3,400 calls in 2024. So far, in 2025, there have been over 455 calls for service, Tanskley said.

The average response time for 911 calls in Birch Bay is 13 minutes and 30 seconds, Tanksley said.

“It’s about the will of the people,” Tanksley said. “If Birch Bay did incorporate and you were interested, the sheriff’s office would certainly be at that table.”