INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Thanks to a grant from the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office can fully staff its Incline Village substation, something that hasn’t been done in over 20 years.

The Washoe County Commission approved the receival of a nearly $12 million grant during its Tuesday meeting.

The grant will be used to pay for one full time captain, one full time lieutenant, four full time sergeants, and five full time deputies, as well as, operating expenses, equipment and seven vehicles. This will be funded from July 2021 through June 2026.

“This grant would allow us to hire new staff — bringing our Incline patrol numbers back to what they were prior to budget cuts in early 2000 through the recession,” said Sarah Johns, WCSO public affairs specialist.

WCSO currently has one resident deputy and six remote deputies dedicated solely to Incline Village, as well as five deputies from the valley they pull up to Incline when necessary.

“In order to fully staff three, 10-hour shifts of deputies in Incline Village – we need a staff of 18 deputies. This grant would fulfill those needs,” Johns said.

Johns said it will allow them to also have consistent sergeant supervision on each shift throughout the week.

In addition, the grant will allow a permanent lieutenant to be staffed at the Incline Substation, which Johns said, “can strengthen not only the partnership with Washoe County residents living or visiting the Incline Village area, but also strengthen our partnerships with the Tahoe Basin law enforcement entities.”

Finally, the grant will allow for a full-time captain to be assigned to Incline patrol, which hasn’t happened since 2009.

“The addition of a captain will allow us to again have a command level supervisor assigned to the lake to represent the sheriff’s office in all community policing and crime reduction strategies in the Incline Village and Tahoe Basin region,” Johns said.