BILL REQ. #:  H-1625.1 

Read first time 02/18/2003.   Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to conduct of law enforcement officers; adding a new section to chapter 43.43 RCW; and adding a new chapter to Title 10 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.43 RCW to read as follows:
     The Washington state patrol shall adopt personnel policies that ensure that patrol officers do not improperly use their position or authority as patrol officers in dealing with personal matters, legal or otherwise, or in dealing with other persons with whom they have a personal matter. These policies must include, at a minimum, provisions that prohibit patrol officers from:
     (1) Taking part in the investigation or processing of a case or complaint in which they have a personal interest;
     (2) Using their unique position or authority as a patrol officer to investigate a personal matter, legal or otherwise;
     (3) Using their position or authority to investigate, follow, place under surveillance, intimidate, or harass a person with whom they have a personal matter, legal or otherwise;
     (4) Using the information resources that are available to them as patrol officers to investigate a personal matter or a person with whom they have a personal matter; and
     (5) Investigating or engaging other officers to investigate a personal matter of a patrol officer or a person with whom a patrol officer has a personal matter unless investigation of the matter is within the proper function of the state patrol and the investigation takes place through the normal process of investigating a case or complaint.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   Law enforcement agencies shall adopt personnel policies that ensure that law enforcement officers do not improperly use their position or authority as officers in dealing with personal matters, legal or otherwise, or in dealing with other persons with whom they have a personal matter. These policies must include, at a minimum, provisions that prohibit officers from:
     (1) Taking part in the investigation or processing of a case or complaint in which they have a personal interest;
     (2) Using their unique position or authority as an officer to investigate a personal matter, legal or otherwise;
     (3) Using their position or authority as officers to investigate, follow, place under surveillance, intimidate, or harass a person with whom they have a personal matter, legal or otherwise;
     (4) Using the information resources that are available to them as officers to investigate a personal matter or a person with whom they have a personal matter; and
     (5) Investigating or engaging other officers to investigate a personal matter of an officer or a person with whom an officer has a personal matter unless investigation of the matter is within the proper function of the law enforcement agency and the investigation takes place through the normal process of investigating a case or complaint.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   Section 2 of this act constitutes a new chapter in Title 10 RCW.