BILL REQ. #:  H-1553.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/22/13.   

     AN ACT Relating to requiring crisis intervention training for peace officers; adding a new section to chapter 43.101 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.101 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Subject to appropriation, the commission shall provide crisis intervention training to every new full-time law enforcement officer employed after July 1, 2015, by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency. The training shall consist of not less than eight hours and shall be incorporated into the basic training academy as provided in RCW 43.101.200.
     (2) Subject to appropriation, the commission must ensure that:
     (a) Each full-time law enforcement officer certified before July 1, 2015, and employed by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency is provided with the opportunity for crisis intervention training by July 1, 2017. The training shall consist of not less than eight hours and shall be substantially similar in hours and content to the training offered through the basic training academy. Each attendee of the program shall be required to obtain written proof of completion of the program as provided by rules of the commission;
     (b) All full-time law enforcement officers who are certified after July 1, 2015, complete two hours of annual crisis intervention retraining that shall be incorporated into the annual training required by the commission for all certified officers.
     (3) The commission shall establish by rule:
     (a) A program and standards to certify organizations, other than the commission, that may provide crisis intervention training as required under this section. The commission shall consider geographic training needs when considering programs and standards. The commission shall consider providing grants to law enforcement agencies with fewer than three hundred commissioned officers to assist with costs of sending officers to crisis intervention training;
     (b) Standards for successful completion of the annual two hours of crisis intervention training as provided in subsection (2)(b) of this section. The standards shall include, at a minimum, the requirement of successful completion of a written exam.
     (4) For the purposes of this section, "crisis intervention training" means training designed to provide tools and resources to law enforcement officers in order to respond effectively to individuals who may be experiencing an emotional, mental, physical, behavioral, or chemical dependency crisis, distress, or problem and that are designed to increase the safety of both law enforcement and individuals in crisis.
     (5) Subject to appropriation, the commission shall develop a program to make available crisis intervention training to twenty-five percent of currently certified law enforcement officers, assigned to patrol duties no later than December 1, 2017. The training shall be comprised of forty hours of commission-certified training. Any appropriated funds shall be used to train personnel who will implement the training on a geographically diverse basis.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The sum of five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, from the general fund to the criminal justice training commission for the purposes of this act.