HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1610

             As Reported By House Committee On:

               Criminal Justice & Corrections

Title:  An act relating to community involvement in stopping crime.

Brief Description:  Funding the Crime Stoppers program.

Sponsors:  Representatives Delvin, Lovick, Poulsen, Keiser, DeBolt, Morris, Wensman, Ruderman, Reardon, Wolfe, McDonald, Cooper, Mielke, Schoesler, Campbell, Miloscia, O'Brien, Conway, Fisher, Cody, Kenney, Kessler and Wood.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Criminal Justice & Corrections:  2/12/99, 2/17/99 [DP].

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Requires the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development to contract with the Crime Stoppers of Washington Association to provide grants to local law enforcement agencies or local jurisdictions with crime stopper programs.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Ballasiotes, Republican Co-Chair; O'Brien, Democratic Co-Chair; Cairnes, Republican Vice Chair; Lovick, Democratic Vice Chair; B. Chandler; Constantine; Kagi and Koster.

Staff:  Yvonne Walker (786-7841).

Background:

Crime Stoppers is a community-based program that joins law enforcement, the community, and the media in an alliance to generate public awareness and assistance with solving crimes.  These programs are usually operated by local law enforcement agencies who may televise profiles of offenders and offer rewards for information leading to the arrest of criminals.  In addition, crime stopper programs may host a variety of crime prevention and diversion-type programs in area neighborhoods.

Summary of Bill:

The Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED) is required to contract with the Crime Stoppers of Washington Association to provide grants to local law enforcement agencies or local jurisdictions with crime stopper programs.  Grant funds will be allocated to local crime stoppers programs according to guidelines established by the association.  At least 25 percent of the grants given in a biennium must be for training, public awareness, and establishing new programs.  Grants may be used for operating costs and newly created programs may use grant monies for rewards.  Existing programs may not use grant monies for rewards.  Law enforcement agencies or local jurisdictions may not receive more than one grant during each biennium.  The grant may be made either to start a program or expand an existing program, but not both.

The Crime Stoppers of Washington Association must review the local programs receiving grants and report on their progress to the Legislature by the first of January of each year.

Community involvement and youth awareness are encouraged through the development of student crime stoppers programs around the state.

Null and void language is included making final adoption of the legislation contingent on funding in the 1999-00 Omnibus Appropriations Act.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.  However, the bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.

Testimony For:  Crime Stoppers is the truest form of community policing.  It helps to apprehend serious criminal offenders while also proving to be cost effective, successful, and it brings closure to the families of crime victims.

Currently, all but 31 counties have a Crime Stoppers program and, as a result, funding is needed to expand to those remaining counties that do not have a program.  Funding requested in this bill is to pay for start-up costs in those 31 counties so that they will become self sustaining in the future.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (In support) Ron Conlin, Crime Stoppers; and Myrle Carner, Crime Stoppers.