BILL REQ. #:  H-3517.1 

Read first time 01/13/2004.   Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to providing peace officers essential training in firearm retention and survival techniques and enacting the Saul Gallegos Peace Officer Survival Act of 2004; adding a new section to chapter 10.93 RCW; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   This act shall be known and cited as "the Saul Gallegos Peace Officer Survival Act of 2004."

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 10.93 RCW to read as follows:
     The legislature finds that since 1855, two hundred fifty-four law enforcement officers, "heroes of the badge," in Washington state have given their lives in the line of duty. The number of law enforcement officers killed or harmed in the line of duty both here and around the country is unacceptable. Many of these deaths and injuries result from criminal suspects using the officers' own weapons against them. Most of these incidents involve rapidly evolving situations, close quarters, and hardened, high-risk subjects. If an aggressor attempts to strip an officer of his or her weapon it should be considered a deadly force issue and dealt with accordingly.
     Promoting officer safety is an essential component in preserving the thin blue line that protects law-abiding citizens from the criminal element in society. One of the most important aspects of advancing officer safety is ensuring officer expertise in maintaining possession and control of their weapons and disarming their attackers. Comprehensive training in weapon retention and survival techniques is a necessary and critical element in preserving the well-being and lives of law enforcement officers, and will reduce the number of officers killed or injured with their own weapons.
     Deputy Saul Gallegos of the Chelan County Sheriff's Department was recently killed by his attackers with his own service weapon while in the line of duty defending the public peace. The legislature intends by this act to provide adequate funding for Washington state peace officers to receive the training necessary for officers to achieve and maintain expertise in weapon retention and survival techniques.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The sum of one million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, from the general fund to the criminal justice training commission for the sole purpose of providing Washington peace officers comprehensive training in weapon retention and survival techniques, including techniques for defending against assailants trying to disarm an officer's drawn gun and for regaining control if disarmed.