AN ACT Relating to providing funding for the recruitment, retention, and support of law enforcement officers; adding a new section to chapter 43.101 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.43 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 77.15 RCW; creating new sections; and making appropriations.

The criminal justice training commission in conjunction with the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs must develop, implement, and expand programs for law enforcement professional development outreach, retention, and support for the purpose of encouraging more candidates to seek and retain careers in local law enforcement. Funding must be used to educate the public on the profession of law enforcement, including the challenges and opportunities of a career in law enforcement, and to provide additional resources for use by Washington law enforcement agencies in their specific recruiting and retention efforts.

(1) The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs must develop, implement, or expand law enforcement recruitment efforts and programs to encourage persons seeking careers in law enforcement, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. Recruitment efforts must specifically target those individuals who have not previously been employed as a general authority peace officer in the state of Washington.

(2) The commission must award one-time law enforcement new-hire funding totaling $5,000 per new law enforcement officer hired to each local law enforcement agency, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. The commission must distribute funding to each local law enforcement agency to be used as sign-on bonuses for each new law enforcement officer who is hired by a local law enforcement agency and has completed the basic law enforcement academy. The commission shall begin distributing funds no later than December 1, 2023.

(3) The commission must award law enforcement one-time retention funding totaling $5,000 per retained law enforcement officer to each local law enforcement agency, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. The commission must distribute funding to each local law enforcement agency to be used as one-time retention bonuses for each currently employed law enforcement officer provided such officer remains employed with their hiring law enforcement agency for at least one year. The commission shall begin distributing funds no later than December 1, 2023.

(4) From amounts provided by the commission, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs must distribute one-time grants to local law enforcement agencies to support the equipment purchase and video storage costs associated with law enforcement body camera programs, and any costs associated with public records requests for body camera footage. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, no more than $90,000 in law enforcement body camera grant funding may be awarded to a single local law enforcement agency. The association shall select grant recipients and begin distributing funds no later than December 1, 2023.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The criminal justice training commission shall submit a report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature on each of the programs under section 1 of this act no later than June 30, 2024. The report must include a summary of the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs' recruitment and retention efforts, the funding recipients, the use of funds, and any potential impact on anticipated recruitment and law enforcement retention efforts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) From amounts provided by the criminal justice training commission, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs must contract with a consultant to study and report on the funding and staffing levels of local (county, municipal, and tribal) law enforcement agencies in Washington. The report must include a study and recommendations on:

(c) The recommended safe and appropriate officer staffing levels needed for local communities and how much additional funding is necessary to achieve those recommended ideal staffing levels;

(d) How much is spent to fund local law enforcement agencies in Washington state as compared to other states and how staffing levels in Washington compare to other states; and

The Washington state patrol shall develop and implement a state trooper outreach and retention program for the purpose of encouraging more candidates to seek and retain careers in state law enforcement, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. Recruitment efforts must specifically target those individuals who have not previously been employed as a general authority peace officer in the state of Washington. The patrol must use the funding to educate the public on the profession of state law enforcement including the challenges and opportunities that a career in state law enforcement provides and to provide additional resources for use by the Washington state patrol in their specific recruiting and retention efforts.

(1) The Washington state patrol must establish a state trooper recruitment program, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. The Washington state patrol must use the funding for the state trooper recruitment program for encouraging persons to seek careers in the Washington state patrol.

(a) The Washington state patrol must establish a state trooper new-hire program. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the Washington state patrol must use and distribute $5,000 per trooper hired as sign-on bonuses for each new state patrol officer who is hired by the Washington state patrol and who has completed the Washington state patrol academy.

(b) The Washington state patrol must establish a state trooper retention program. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the Washington state patrol must award one-time retention bonuses totaling $5,000 per currently employed state patrol trooper provided such officer remains employed with their hiring law enforcement agency for at least one year. The Washington state patrol must enter into collective bargaining agreements as needed to implement this section.

The department shall develop and implement a fish and wildlife officer outreach and retention program for the purpose of encouraging more candidates to seek and retain careers in law enforcement, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. Recruitment efforts must specifically target those individuals who have not previously been employed as a general authority peace officer in the state of Washington. The department must use the funding to educate the public on the profession of law enforcement including the challenges and opportunities that a career as a fish and wildlife officer provides and to provide additional resources for use by the department in their specific recruiting and retention efforts.

(1) The department must establish a fish and wildlife officer recruitment program, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. The department must use the funding for the fish and wildlife officer recruitment program for encouraging persons to seek careers in with the department of fish and wildlife.

(a) The department must establish a fish and wildlife officer new-hire program. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department must use and distribute $5,000 per fish and wildlife officer position hired as sign-on bonuses for each new officer who is hired by the department and who has completed the basic law enforcement academy.

(b) The department must establish a fish and wildlife officer retention program. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department must award one-time retention bonuses totaling $5,000 per currently employed fish and wildlife officer provided such officer remains employed with the department for at least one year. The department must enter into collective bargaining agreements as needed to implement this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) The sum of $2,740,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the criminal justice training commission for the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs to develop and expand programs and efforts aimed at recruiting new law enforcement officers pursuant to section 1(1) of this act.

(2) The sum of $2,250,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the criminal justice training commission and is provided solely for funding sign-on bonuses for each new law enforcement officer pursuant to section 1(2) of this act.

(3) The sum of $56,155,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the criminal justice training commission and is provided solely for one-time retention bonuses pursuant to section 1(3) of this act.

(4) The sum of $24,660,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the criminal justice training commission and is provided solely for body camera grants to support the equipment purchase and video storage costs, and the public records requests, associated with law enforcement body camera programs pursuant to section 1(4) of this act.

(5) The sum of $150,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the criminal justice training commission and is provided solely for funding the report on recruitment and law enforcement retention efforts pursuant to section 2 of this act.

(6) The sum of $150,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the criminal justice training commission and is provided solely for funding a report by the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs on the funding and staffing levels of local law enforcement agencies pursuant to section 3 of this act.

(7) The sum of $100,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the Washington state patrol and is provided solely for the purpose of establishing a state trooper recruitment program pursuant to section 4(1) of this act.

(8) The sum of $540,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the Washington state patrol and is provided solely for the purpose of establishing a state trooper new-hire program pursuant to section 4(2)(a) of this act.

(9) The sum of $2,750,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the Washington state patrol and is provided solely for the purpose of funding one-time Washington state patrol retention bonuses pursuant to section 4(2)(b) of this act.

(10) The sum of $100,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the department of fish and wildlife and is provided solely for the purpose of establishing a fish and wildlife officer recruitment program pursuant to section 5(1) of this act.

(11) The sum of $250,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the department of fish and wildlife and is provided solely for the purpose of funding one-time fish and wildlife officer new hire bonuses pursuant to section 5(2)(a) of this act.

(12) The sum of $750,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, from the general fund to the department of fish and wildlife and is provided solely for the purpose of funding one-time department of fish and wildlife retention bonuses pursuant to section 5(2)(b) of this act.