S-3535.2  _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 6392

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

 

By Senators Stevens, Long, Swecker, Hochstatter, Morton, Rossi, Johnson, Honeyford, Hale and Benton

 

Read first time 01/14/2000.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Requiring initial four-year service terms for the state patrol.


    AN ACT Relating to the state patrol academy; adding a new section to chapter 43.43 RCW; and creating a new section.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  (1) The legislature finds that people who attend the state patrol academy become highly trained, important members of our law enforcement system.  Washington state patrol officers are trained at a significant cost to the taxpayer, and while most cadets at the state patrol academy become state patrol officers with many years of service to the state, some state patrol officers choose jobs elsewhere, causing the state to lose its investment in the state patrol officer.

    (2) The legislature intends to recoup the costs of training Washington state patrol officers, while ensuring public safety, and balancing the need of the Washington state patrol officer to move freely and determine his or her future career.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.43 RCW to read as follows:

    (1)  Washington state patrol officers who are trained at the state patrol academy must serve in the Washington state patrol for four years upon graduation from the academy. 

    (2)  This section does not limit the powers of the chief of the Washington state patrol to discharge, demote, or suspend a state patrol officer under this chapter.

    (3) Cadets wishing to terminate training and voluntarily leave the academy after fifty percent of their training is completed must repay the cost of that portion of their training.

 


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