S-3573.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6496
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2002 Regular Session
By Senators Kohl‑Welles, Kline, McCaslin and Winsley
Read first time 01/18/2002. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
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 intends to improve the safety of law enforcement officers and the public by providing consistent education and training for officers in the matter of vehicle pursuit. The legislature recognizes there are a multitude of factors which enter into the determination of pursuit and intends that the criminal justice training commission be given the responsibility of identifying those factors and developing appropriate standards for training of law enforcement officers in this area.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.101 RCW to read as follows:
(1) By December 1, 2002, 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 June 1, 2003, 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 June 30, 2005, 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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