H-1953.2 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1795
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State of Washington 53rd Legislature 1993 Regular Session
By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives J. Kohl, Padden, Riley, Appelwick, Foreman, Roland, R. Fisher, Dellwo, Campbell, Anderson, Wineberry and Johanson)
Read first time 03/03/93.
AN ACT Relating to vehicular pursuit by law enforcement officers; adding new sections to chapter 43.101 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that whether to initiate and how to conduct a vehicular pursuit requires careful evaluation of numerous factors by the law enforcement officer or officers involved. The risk posed to the well-being and property of bystanders is of great significance among those factors.
The legislature further finds written policies on vehicular pursuits may help reduce the risks inherent in the pursuits. Also, law enforcement officers in the state of Washington may benefit from additional formal training on vehicular pursuits.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.101 RCW to read as follows:
(1) By September 30, 1993, the Washington state criminal justice training commission, the Washington state patrol, and the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall develop a written model policy on vehicular pursuits.
(2) The model policy must meet all of the following minimum standards:
(a) Provide for supervisory control, if available, of the pursuit;
(b) Provide procedures for designating the primary pursuit vehicle and for determining the total number of vehicles to be permitted to participate at one time in the pursuit;
(c) Provide procedures for coordinating operations with other jurisdictions; and
(d) Provide guidelines for determining when the interests of public safety and effective law enforcement justify a vehicular pursuit and when a vehicular pursuit should not be initiated or should be terminated.
(3) By December 31, 1993, every state, county, and municipal law enforcement agency shall adopt and implement a written vehicular pursuit policy. The policy adopted may, but need not, be the model policy developed under subsections (1) and (2) of this section. However, any policy adopted must address the minimum requirements specified in subsection (2) of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.101 RCW to read as follows:
(1) By December 31, 1995, every full-time law enforcement officer employed by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency shall have been trained on vehicular pursuits. Every new full-time law enforcement officer employed by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency after that date also shall be trained, within six months of employment, on vehicular pursuits.
(2) The Washington state criminal justice training commission, in consultation with the Washington state patrol and the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, shall develop and conduct the training. At a minimum, the training shall cover the information required by section 2(2) of this act to be included in vehicular pursuit policies.
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