Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Public Safety Committee |
HB 1348
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. |
Brief Description: Requiring crisis intervention training for peace officers.
Sponsors: Representatives Appleton, Goodman, Tharinger, McBride, Walkinshaw, Clibborn, Sawyer, Riccelli, S. Hunt, Peterson, Tarleton, Robinson, Pollet, Senn, Ryu, Cody, Orwall, Kilduff, Lytton, Jinkins, Blake, Reykdal, Moscoso, Ormsby and Gregerson.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/27/15
Staff: Yvonne Walker (786-7841).
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 Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) 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.
In addition to the BLEA, the CJTC provides specialize training to:
persons responsible for investigating and interviewing children for child sexual abuse and neglect cases;
law enforcement officers on vehicular pursuits;
law enforcement officers on how to interact with persons with developmental disabilities or mental illnesses;
law enforcement officers on how to identify, respond to, and report malicious harassment crimes and other crimes of bigotry or bias;
law enforcement officers on investigating and interviewing techniques for cases involving child abuse and neglect;
law enforcement and corrections officers hired or promoted to first level supervisors and middle management positions; and
criminal justice, correctional personnel, and other public safety employees on personal crisis recognition and crisis intervention services.
The CJTC contracts with King County to provide crisis intervention training to only King County law enforcement officers. The training is funded by the Mental Illness Drug Dependency tax (known as MIDD) which is levied in King County. This crisis intervention training provides a combination of a 40-hour course, an eight-hour retraining class, and some defensive tactics training taught in combination with the crisis intervention training.
Summary of Bill:
The CJTC must provide all new full-time law enforcement officers that are hired after July 1, 2017, with a minimum of eight hours of crisis intervention training as part of the BLEA. In addition, the CJTC must ensure that:
Law enforcement officers certified after July 1, 2017, complete a two-hour online crisis intervention course that is incorporated in the CJTC's annual training.
Law enforcement officers certified before July 1, 2017, complete a minimum of eight hours of training by July 1, 2019. That training must be similar in hours and content as the training offered in the BLEA and each officer must obtain written proof showing completion of the program as provided by the CJTC's rules.
The goal of the CJTC is to have 25 percent of all certified officers on patrol duties to have received 40 hours of commission-certified enhanced crisis intervention training by December 1, 2019. Any funds appropriated must be used to train personnel implementing the training on a geographically diverse basis.
By July 1, 2017, the CJTC must establish by rule:
A program and standards to certify other outside entities that may provide crisis intervention training. Those organizations must use a CJTC-certified training or curriculum to facilitate the training. The CJTC must also consider geographic training needs when considering programs and standards and provide grants to law enforcement agencies with fewer than 300 commissioned officers to assist with costs of sending officers to crisis intervention training.
Standards for law enforcement officers' successful completion of the annual two hours of crisis intervention training which must include, at a minimum, the requirement of successful completion of a written exam.
"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.
The act may be known as the Douglas M. Ostling Act. This act is null and void unless funded in the budget.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 22, 2015.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed. However, the bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.