Brief Description: Creating a law enforcement mobilization policy board and plan.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Senators Brandland, Kline, Roach, Kastama, Rasmussen, Johnson, Esser, McCaslin, Kohl-Welles and Winsley).

Hearing Date: 3/25/03

Staff: Anne Warwick (786-7291).

Background:

A comprehensive program of emergency management is administered in the state by the Military Department. The Adjutant General is required to develop a comprehensive, all-hazard emergency plan for the state that includes use of an incident command system when multiple jurisdictions or multiple agencies are involved. Mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery are the essential components of the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP). Each county, city, and town is required to establish a local organization for emergency management and prepare a local emergency management plan. The Adjutant General may allow two or more counties or cities to establish a single local organization. Local plans are submitted to the Adjutant General for recommendations and certification with the CEMP.

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) has general law enforcement authority throughout the entire state. Various state agencies are authorized to provide limited law enforcement. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) is a nonprofit corporation created by the various sheriffs and police chiefs in the state. State law declares this entity to be "a combination of units of local government." State law allows this entity to assist a county in developing and implementing a law and justice plan and directs this entity to implement an electronic jail booking system. Recently, the membership of the WASPC approved the Washington State Enforcement Mutual Aid/Mobilization Plan (Mobilization Plan).

Summary of Bill:

The state Law Enforcement Mobilization Policy Board (Board) is established by the chief of the WSP. The Board makes recommendations to the chief on the refinement and maintenance of the Mobilization Plan, including procedures used during a response requiring coordination of law enforcement resources, consistent with the incident command system. The Board consults with and solicits recommendations from state and local law enforcement, emergency management organizations, and regional law enforcement mobilization committees.

Regional law enforcement coordinating committees consist of the sheriff of each county in the region, the district commander of the WSP from the region, a number of police chiefs equivalent to the number of counties in the region plus one, and the director of the counties' emergency management offices. Regional committees develop regional law enforcement service plans and work with local governmental agencies to facilitate intergovernmental agreements required to implement regional law enforcement response plans. Regional plans must be approved by the state Board. Regional mobilization may be implemented by the chair of the regional mobilization committee.

The state Mobilization Plan is included within the state comprehensive emergency management plan. Mobilization may be declared by the chief when law enforcement resources, beyond those available locally or through existing mutual aid agreements, are needed in response to an emergency or disaster. The chief appoints a state law enforcement resource coordinator who coordinates activities with the chief law enforcement officer of the host agency when the mobilization plan is activated. Mobilization may include the redistribution of regional or statewide law enforcement resources to either direct emergency incident assignments or to assignments in communities where law enforcement resources are needed. The chief, in consultation with the resource coordinator, declares when mobilization ends. The WSP, in consultation with the WASPC, and the Office of Financial Management, develops procedures to facilitate reimbursement to mobilized jurisdictions from federal and state funds.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available on HB1216 and SB 5270.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.