WALLA WALLA, WA– The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) is urging lawmakers to revise House Bill 2015, arguing that the bill in its current form will not effectively support law enforcement staffing, despite the Governor’s pledge of $100 million toward that goal.
In a letter dated April 15, WASPC Executive Director Steven D. Strachan expressed support for Governor Bob Ferguson’s plan to address Washington’s position as the lowest-ranked state in the nation for law enforcement staffing per capita. However, Strachan warned that as currently written, HB 2015 creates barriers that would hinder agencies from hiring additional officers.
“HB 2015, if passed in its current form, will not meaningfully increase law enforcement staffing,” the letter states, emphasizing that the grant requirements and policy mandates within the bill make implementation difficult for many communities.
WASPC outlined eight primary concerns:
- Grant prioritization favors agencies with co-responder programs, placing basic officer hiring last.
- The grant process is described as cumbersome and bureaucratic.
- Applicants must implement policies that currently do not exist or are not operational.
- The bill limits the use of volunteers, a term WASPC says is vaguely defined.
- Police canine use for tracking suspects may be prohibited under grant funding conditions.
- Agencies in Snohomish and Spokane counties would be excluded from funding.
- Background checks for sheriffs and police chiefs applying for grants could violate FBI policies.
- Additional psychological evaluations and polygraph exams for agency leaders are mandated.
The letter concludes with a formal request for legislators to make HB 2015 “meaningful to its purpose” by ensuring the $100 million allocation can be directly applied to hiring officers without excessive restrictions. Sheriff Mark Crider of Walla Walla County expressed his support for the WASPC’s position.
“We stand ready to help and support the legislature to achieve Governor Ferguson’s goal,” Strachan wrote.
For more information or to read the full statement, visit www.waspc.org.