Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Public Safety Committee

HB 1557

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 Washington State Department of Commerce (Commerce) is charged with promoting sustainable community and economic vitality in Washington. Commerce administers a diverse portfolio of more than 100 programs and several state boards and commissions, with duties related to economic development, housing, and crime victims, as well as the administration of grants, loans, and contracts on a wide variety of subjects.

The Washington State Institute of Public Policy (WSIPP) carries out practical, non-partisan research at the direction of the Legislature.

The Safe Streets Campaign (Campaign) is a nonprofit organization in Pierce County established in 1989. The Campaign's stated mission is to empower individuals, families, youth, neighborhoods and organizations to create safe neighborhoods.

Summary of Bill:

The Safe Streets Pilot Project (Project) is created for the purpose of fostering community engagement. The Commerce must administer the Project, including adopting policies and procedures necessary for the application process, grant disbursement, tracking compliance and proper use of funds, and measuring outcomes.

The Project includes one grant award to an eligible applicant meeting the following criteria:

is a public agency or nongovernmental organization, and is not a law enforcement agency;

is located in a charter county located west of the crest of the Cascade mountains with a population between 700,000 and 1 million that also contains a city with a population of more than 175,000;

has prior experience with safe streets initiatives or police-community engagement;

has established or is willing to establish a coordinated effort with committed partners, which must include law enforcement; and

has established priorities, policies, and measurable goals in compliance with the requirements of the Project.

The grant recipient must complete tasks in five areas, with specific requirements provided in the bill, including:

Leading and facilitating neighborhood organizing initiatives;
Building substantive law enforcement-community partnerships;
Educating residents on and fostering neighborhood watch programs aimed at providing timely and detailed information to law enforcement so they can respond quickly, and creating positive connections among neighbors and law enforcement through community engagement;
Mobilizing youth in the community, especially high school and middle school age youth; and
Engaging businesses to help prevent crimes, such as vandalism and burglaries, through safety training and other prevention initiatives.

In consultation with the WSIPP, the Department must develop reporting guidelines in order to measure whether the Project had an impact on crime rates, community engagement with law enforcement, and perceptions of law enforcement. The grant recipient must be selected and receiving funds by November 1, 2017. The Department must submit a preliminary report with details on the selected grant recipient by January 1, 2018, and a final report on the Project by December 1, 2019.