_______________________________________________
SENATE
BILL 5047
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Passed
Legislature - 1997 Regular Session
State of Washington 55th
Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By
Read first time 01/13/97.
Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.
Arming community
corrections officers.
AN
ACT Relating to arming community corrections officers; adding a new section to
chapter 72.02 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. A
new section is added to chapter 72.02 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
Community corrections officers may carry firearms during the course of their
official field duties. The department is not responsible for providing or
paying for firearms, materials, equipment, or training associated with
implementation of this policy. A community corrections officer who chooses to
be armed under this section shall, at his or her own expense, arrange for and
complete any necessary training. In addition, a community corrections officer
who chooses to be armed under this section shall, at his or her own expense,
provide his or her own firearm as well as any associated materials and
equipment needed by the officer in order to carry a firearm.
(2)
Nothing in this section makes community corrections officers eligible for
membership in the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system
under chapter 41.26 RCW.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. (1)
By December 1, 1997, the criminal justice training commission shall set the
following standards and requirements for implementing section 1 of this act:
The
commission shall determine the types of firearms that community corrections
officers are permitted to carry and the permissible types of ammunition. The
commission shall also set standards determining what constitutes necessary
training. In so doing, the commission shall specify the nature of training
that community corrections officers must complete or the level of competency
community corrections officers must demonstrate, or both, in order to carry
firearms under section 1 of this act. This may include periodic refresher
training courses or competency reviews.
(2)(a)
Before determining the standards and requirements in subsection (1) of this
section, and no later than May 1, 1997, the criminal justice training
commission shall convene an advisory board to make recommendations for
developing these standards and requirements. The advisory board must have the
following members:
(i)
Two individuals designated by the commission who have been certified and
approved by the commission to provide firearms instruction;
(ii) Two
community corrections officers who are designated by the exclusive bargaining
unit representing community corrections officers; and
(iii)
One representative from the department of corrections designated by the
secretary of the department of corrections.
(b)
The advisory board shall deliver its recommendations to the criminal justice
training commission no later than September 1, 1997.
(3)
The department of corrections shall implement the policy contained in section 1
of this act allowing community corrections officers to carry firearms no later
than January 1, 1998, but not before the criminal justice training commission
has determined standards and requirements under this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This
act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or
safety, or support of the state government and its existing public
institutions, and takes effect immediately.
