Frequently Asked Questions

As a general rule, counties in Washington State are responsible for providing criminal justice services for felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor offenses within their boundaries. 

Cities must provide criminal just services for misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor offenses committed inside city limits through the use of their own courts, staff and facilities—or—by entering into contracts or interlocal agreements. 

The original interlocal agreement for criminal justice services was established in 2015 for a period of 10 years. It expired on December 31, 2025. Over the intervening ten years, the laws and the circumstances to affect the provision of these services have changed, and a new contract must account for those changes.

No. To prevent a gap in critical services, the City and County negotiated a six-month extension to the original agreement. This extension is set to expire on June 30, 2026.

In 2015, the City paid $800,000 to the County for the 2016 years of services. In 2025, the City paid $1,129,251 to the County for the full year of services.

As agreed upon in the original contract, the City paid an annual cost increase for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue CPI-W Index, and this is why the amount has increased over time. Over the last ten years, costs to the City have increased 41.2%.

The County has proposed a $2.5 million annual cost increase to the City, for a total cost of $3,666,950 million in 2026. 

The City has requested financial information from the County that demonstrates the County’s fixed costs and provides rationale for a $2.5 million (or 225%) per year increase. To date, the information provided to the City is incomplete.

The City is hiring an independent consultant to analyze the cost to perform these services in Port Angeles. This work helps to ensure that Port Angeles residents do not pay more than their fair share for criminal justice services in the future. 

Visit the project page for updates.