(1) Any city or town may establish the position of warrant officer.

(2) If any city or town establishes the position of warrant officer, the position shall be maintained by the city or town within the city or town police department. The number and qualifications of warrant officers shall be fixed by ordinance and their compensation shall be paid by the city or town. The chief of police of the city or town must establish training requirements consistent with the job description of warrant officer established in that city or town. Training requirements must be approved by the criminal justice training commission.

(3) Warrant officers shall be vested only with the special authority identified in ordinance, which may include the authority to make arrests authorized by warrants and other authority related to service of civil and criminal process.

(4) Process issuing from any court that is directed to a police department in which a warrant officer position is maintained may be served or enforced by the warrant officer, if within the warrant officer's authority as identified in ordinance.

(5) Warrant officers shall not be entitled to death, disability, or retirement benefits pursuant to chapter 41.26 RCW on the basis of service as a warrant officer as described in this section.

[2015 c 288 § 1.]