Thurston County, Washington

UPDATED PHONE SCAM ALERT

Scam calls and emails are impersonating county employees and services: Permitting, Courts, Pretrial staff and Sheriff's Office deputies. Court staff don't call jurors, and Sheriff's deputies do not collect fines by phone. Report scams to Thurston County Sheriff's non-emergency line at 360-704-2740 and you can verify your Jury Service by clicking here. Click here for office or department contact info.

The content on the Thurston County website is currently provided in English. We are providing the “Translation” for approximately 10 languages. The goal of the translation is to provide visitors with limited English proficiency to access information on the website in other languages. The translations do not translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. The translations are made through an automated process, which may not result in accurate or precise translations, particularly of technical and legal terminology.
County Contacts
Logo

Thurston County Washington

Thurston County and Tenino Announce Law Enforcement Pilot Program

May 21, 2026
Thurston County Full Color Logo

Thurston County and Tenino Announce Law Enforcement Pilot Program
Sheriff's Office begins trial period as County Commissioners evaluate long-term costs. 

OLYMPIA – Thurston County Commissioners today announced the County signed a contract to provide six-months of law enforcement services to the City of Tenino effective April 6.

The short-term agreement was developed following a request for policing assistance from Tenino as the city faces fiscal challenges. Under the agreement, Thurston County Sheriff’s Office will provide essential policing duties while allowing the City and County time to evaluate long-term costs.

During the trial period, the County’s budget team will collaborate with Tenino and the Sheriff’s office on a cost-effective permanent contract based on a full-cost recovery model. “Our primary goal with this contract is to do the right thing by everyone,” said Vice Chair of the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners Wayne Fournier. “We’re ensuring immediate public safety coverage for our neighbors in Tenino, and we’re also taking the time to assess the resources it takes to provide these services – it's a step we have to take to be good stewards of taxpayer funds.” 

This isn’t the County’s first policing contract. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office also provides law enforcement coverage to the City of Rainier and to the Port of Olympia on the inlets of South Puget Sound. 

While the Sheriff's Office law enforcement contract has been in place with Rainier for more than a decade, the County’s current reduced budgets have led commissioners to ask for deeper scrutiny and improved efficiencies with internal offices and departments and with contracts like the one with Tenino. 

“Our rural communities are vital to our quality of life in Thurston County and we’re happy to help,” said Chair of the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners Tye Menser. “This six-month window will allow our budget team time to get a handle on actual costs so we can develop a contract that works for Tenino and is fiscally responsible.”

CONTACT: Susan Melnyk, Chief Communications Manager, (360) 867-2097 or susan.melnyk@co.thurston.wa.us

Board of County Commissioners, Sheriff
Press Release