Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Public Safety Committee

HB 1802

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background:

The Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) provides basic law enforcement training, and educational programs for law enforcement, corrections, and other public safety professionals in Washington.

Basic law enforcement officer training is generally required of all law enforcement officers, with the exception of volunteers, and reserve officers employed in Washington. The training consists of a 720-hour program covering a wide variety of subjects including: criminal law and procedures, traffic enforcement, cultural awareness, communication and writing skills, emergency vehicle operations, firearms, crisis intervention, patrol procedures, and criminal investigation and defensive tactics. All law enforcement personnel hired, transferred, or promoted, are required to complete the core training requirements within six months, unless the employee receives a waiver from the CJTC.

Law Enforcement Training Costs.

The CJTC generally provides all the necessary training, facilities, supplies, materials, and room and board (for non-commuting attendees) at no cost to the Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) attendees or the attendee's employer. However, during the 2011-13 biennium only, local law enforcement agencies that employ a new law enforcement officer during that time period must reimburse the CJTC for 25 percent of the training costs.

The salary and benefits provided to the BLEA attendees are paid by each officer's respective employer (law enforcement agency).

Summary of Bill:

A law enforcement agency must reimburse a peace officer's training agency for any salary, training, and benefits received by the peace officer while he or she was enrolled in basic law enforcement training, if the law enforcement agency hires the respective peace officer within five years of the peace officer's completion of basic law enforcement training.

The hiring law enforcement agency must reimburse the training agency within 90 days of the peace officer's first day of employment. The reimbursement owed to the training agency must be based on the following reimbursement amounts:

100 percent – if the peace officer was hired by the law enforcement agency within one year or less of the peace officer's completion of the basic law enforcement training;
80 percent – if the peace officer was hired by the law enforcement agency after one year but less than two years of the peace officer's completion of the basic law enforcement training;
60 percent – if the peace officer was hired by the law enforcement agency after two years but less than three years of the peace officer's completion of the basic law enforcement training;
40 percent – if the peace officer was hired by the law enforcement agency after three years but less than four years of the peace officer's completion of the basic law enforcement training;
20 percent – if the peace officer was hired by the law enforcement agency after four years but less than five years of the peace officer's completion of the basic law enforcement training; and
no reimbursement is required if the peace officer was hired by the law enforcement agency five years or more after the peace officer's completion of training at the BLEA.

A "training agency" is a law enforcement agency that: (1) pays salary and any benefits to a peace officer while he or she is enrolled in basic law enforcement training; (2) pays any percentage of training for a peace officer including any necessary facilities, supplies, materials, and room and board of non-commuting attendees; (3) has 10 or less full-time commissioned peace officers; or (4) pays a salary of $150 or less per month than the hiring law enforcement agency that has employed the respective peace officer.