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Increase the sense of safety and security throughout our community by gathering, processing and providing timely and accurate information.
LESA employs approximately 165 personnel in three divisions: Administration, Communications, and the LEADS division, which is comprised of the Information Technology and Records Management sections – any of whom work various shifts to provide 24-hour service for 9-1-1, dispatch, and records management. For more information on LESA's organization, see the current org chart and overall governance chart.
During 2009, LESA call takers (Communications Officers) answered 724,885 calls and LESA dispatchers handled 552,847 calls for service which include calls processed by call-takers, traffic stops by officers and on-view incidents reported by officers. The closest counterparts to LESA in Washington state in terms of population served and total call volume are the Seattle Police Department Communications Center, SNOPAC in Snohomish County, Valley Comm in south King County, King County Regional Communications, CAPCOM in Thurston County and CRESA in Clark County.
Formed in 1974 by an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Tacoma and Pierce County, LESA is a joint City-County agency governed by an Executive Board that provides legislative and policy direction. The Executive Board is comprised of seven voting members and one advisory member: Tacoma Mayor, Pierce County Executive, Tacoma Police Chief, Pierce County Sheriff, Lakewood Councilperson, Tacoma City Councilperson, Pierce County Councilperson and a Suburban City Representative (non-voting).
The LESA Executive Board meets monthly on the third Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the LESA Executive Board Room located at 955 Tacoma Avenue South, Suite 102. Public comment is allowed at the start of every meeting.
Official Meeting Agendas and Minutes:
In addition to serving the citizens of Pierce County, Wash., several towns and cities contract with the Law Enforcement Support Agency (LESA) to provide for them a wide range of services – from 9-1-1 and police dispatch, to records management and information technology. Our customers include:
For more information about our services, click here.
LESA’s service area is geographically diverse and demanding. Pierce County is the second most populous county in Washington state and a hub of international travel and commerce – via the Port of Tacoma, the largest transportation corridor in the state (I-5), Puget Sound, its proximity to the Canadian border, and its position as a Pacific Rim state. It is also a major part of the state’s military core with both Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base located within the county.
Pierce County’s 1,790 square miles include a forested mountain range with the largest active volcano in the Pacific Northwest (Mt. Rainier at 14,411 feet); several major earthquake faults; 217 miles of Puget Sound saltwater shorelines; and a 2,400 acre port facility that is the seventh largest container port in North America and ranks in the top 25 for worldwide container trade. The port serves as a major gateway to Asia and Alaska, and is a leading North American seaport that handled more than $36 billion in annual trade and nearly 2 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent container Units) in 2007.
Pierce County's other notable unique sites include Commencement Bay; Tacoma Narrows Bridge (at 5,979 feet, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world); Crystal Mountain Ski Resort, Washington’s largest ski area with a total of 2,600 acres (2,300 lift serviced acres) and over 50 named runs; Camp Murray; the Tacoma Dome (the largest wooden dome arena in the world); Point Defiance Park (a 702-acre park of natural forest and saltwater beaches that sees over 2,000,000 visitors per year); the Western Washington Fairgrounds (site of the annual Washington State Fair); and the 600-acre Northwest Trek wildlife preserve. There are 265.09 miles of state routes, 26.06 miles of interstate highway, and approximately 570,761 registered vehicles.
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