Z-0467.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1367
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Representatives Mielke, Ludwig, Rayburn, Inslee, Riley, Edmondson, Anderson, D. Sommers, Winsley, Vance, Moyer, Miller, Brumsickle, Bowman, Horn, May, Betrozoff, Bray, Orr, Tate, Sheldon and Silver; by request of Attorney General.
Read first time January 28, 1991. Referred to Committee on Judiciary\Appropriations.
AN ACT Relating to community involvement in stopping crime through creation of a Crime Stoppers assistance office; adding new sections to chapter 43.10 RCW; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that "Crime Stoppers," a community-based program that joins law enforcement, community, and media in an alliance to generate public awareness and assistance in solving crimes that otherwise remain unsolved, is a low-cost, high-impact program for reducing and solving crime. The legislature further finds that Crime Stoppers has been successfully employed in major areas in Washington, as well as elsewhere in the United States. The legislature also finds that its previous 1990 appropriation to the attorney general for Crime Stoppers grants has led to the development of new programs and created the potential for even further reliance on this cost-effective law enforcement tool. With additional state assistance, other communities can begin or enhance similar successful programs.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The attorney general shall establish a Crime Stoppers assistance office to work in conjunction with local Crime Stoppers organizations, sheriffs, and police chiefs to design model Crime Stoppers programs and provide training and assistance to local Crime Stoppers efforts.
(2) The Crime Stoppers assistance office may distribute appropriated funds in the form of grants to law enforcement agencies with qualified Crime Stoppers programs as follows:
(a) The Crime Stoppers assistance office may accept applications for grants from law enforcement agencies with Crime Stoppers programs identical or similar to the model programs or from law enforcement agencies wishing to start such programs.
(b) The Crime Stoppers assistance office will determine what matching resources, if any, should be required from those Crime Stoppers programs seeking grants.
(c) At least twenty-five percent of the grants given in any biennium must be for training, public awareness efforts, and establishing new programs.
(d) Grants awarded to local jurisdictions shall be used for operating costs of Crime Stoppers programs, and may not be used for rewards.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The attorney general shall appoint an advisory council to periodically review the Crime Stoppers program and report to the legislature, not later than January 1 of each year, on the program's administration and its progress in achieving its objectives.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The attorney general may adopt rules as are necessary to achieve the goals of this program.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The sum of four hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, to the attorney general from the general fund, to effect the purposes of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 2 and 3 of this act are each added to chapter 43.10 RCW.