Passed by the Senate February 3, 2004 YEAS 47   ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House March 2, 2004 YEAS 94   ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Milton H. Doumit, Jr., Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6161 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Secretary | |
Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2004 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 01/23/04.
AN ACT Relating to general authority Washington law enforcement agencies adopting policies addressing domestic violence committed or allegedly committed by general authority Washington peace officers; amending RCW 10.99.020; adding a new section to chapter 10.99 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature reaffirms its determination
to reduce the incident rate of domestic violence. The legislature
finds it is appropriate to help reduce the incident rate of domestic
violence by addressing the need for improved coordination and
accountability among general authority Washington law enforcement
agencies and general authority Washington peace officers when reports
of domestic violence are made and the alleged perpetrator is a general
authority Washington peace officer. The legislature finds that
coordination and accountability will be improved if general authority
Washington law enforcement agencies adopt policies that meet statewide
minimum requirements for training, reporting, interagency cooperation,
investigation, and collaboration with groups serving victims of
domestic violence. The legislature intends to provide maximum
flexibility to general authority Washington law enforcement agencies,
consistent with the purposes of this act, in their efforts to improve
coordination and accountability when incidents of domestic violence
committed or allegedly committed by general authority Washington peace
officers are reported.
Sec. 2 RCW 10.99.020 and 2000 c 119 s 5 are each amended to read
as follows:
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in
this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Agency" means a general authority Washington law enforcement
agency as defined in RCW 10.93.020.
(2) "Association" means the Washington association of sheriffs and
police chiefs.
(3) "Family or household members" means spouses, former spouses,
persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they have been
married or have lived together at any time, adult persons related by
blood or marriage, adult persons who are presently residing together or
who have resided together in the past, persons sixteen years of age or
older who are presently residing together or who have resided together
in the past and who have or have had a dating relationship, persons
sixteen years of age or older with whom a person sixteen years of age
or older has or has had a dating relationship, and persons who have a
biological or legal parent-child relationship, including stepparents
and stepchildren and grandparents and grandchildren.
(((2))) (4) "Dating relationship" has the same meaning as in RCW
26.50.010.
(((3))) (5) "Domestic violence" includes but is not limited to any
of the following crimes when committed by one family or household
member against another:
(a) Assault in the first degree (RCW 9A.36.011);
(b) Assault in the second degree (RCW 9A.36.021);
(c) Assault in the third degree (RCW 9A.36.031);
(d) Assault in the fourth degree (RCW 9A.36.041);
(e) Drive-by shooting (RCW 9A.36.045);
(f) Reckless endangerment (RCW 9A.36.050);
(g) Coercion (RCW 9A.36.070);
(h) Burglary in the first degree (RCW 9A.52.020);
(i) Burglary in the second degree (RCW 9A.52.030);
(j) Criminal trespass in the first degree (RCW 9A.52.070);
(k) Criminal trespass in the second degree (RCW 9A.52.080);
(l) Malicious mischief in the first degree (RCW 9A.48.070);
(m) Malicious mischief in the second degree (RCW 9A.48.080);
(n) Malicious mischief in the third degree (RCW 9A.48.090);
(o) Kidnapping in the first degree (RCW 9A.40.020);
(p) Kidnapping in the second degree (RCW 9A.40.030);
(q) Unlawful imprisonment (RCW 9A.40.040);
(r) Violation of the provisions of a restraining order, no-contact
order, or protection order restraining or enjoining the person or
restraining the person from going onto the grounds of or entering a
residence, workplace, school, or day care, or prohibiting the person
from knowingly coming within, or knowingly remaining within, a
specified distance of a location (RCW 10.99.040, 10.99.050, 26.09.300,
26.10.220, 26.26.138, 26.44.063, 26.44.150, 26.50.060, 26.50.070,
26.50.130, 26.52.070, or 74.34.145);
(s) Rape in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.040);
(t) Rape in the second degree (RCW 9A.44.050);
(u) Residential burglary (RCW 9A.52.025);
(v) Stalking (RCW 9A.46.110); and
(w) Interference with the reporting of domestic violence (RCW
9A.36.150).
(((4))) (6) "Employee" means any person currently employed with an
agency.
(7) "Sworn employee" means a general authority Washington peace
officer as defined in RCW 10.93.020, any person appointed under RCW
35.21.333, and any person appointed or elected to carry out the duties
of the sheriff under chapter 36.28 RCW.
(8) "Victim" means a family or household member who has been
subjected to domestic violence.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 10.99 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) By December 1, 2004, the association shall develop a written
model policy on domestic violence committed or allegedly committed by
sworn employees of agencies. In developing the policy, the association
shall convene a work group consisting of representatives from the
following entities and professions:
(a) Statewide organizations representing state and local
enforcement officers;
(b) A statewide organization providing training and education for
agencies having the primary responsibility of serving victims of
domestic violence with emergency shelter and other services; and
(c) Any other organization or profession the association determines
to be appropriate.
(2) Members of the work group shall serve without compensation.
(3) The model policy shall provide due process for employees and,
at a minimum, meet the following standards:
(a) Provide prehire screening procedures reasonably calculated to
disclose whether an applicant for a sworn employee position:
(i) Has committed or, based on credible sources, has been accused
of committing an act of domestic violence;
(ii) Is currently being investigated for an allegation of child
abuse or neglect or has previously been investigated for founded
allegations of child abuse or neglect; or
(iii) Is currently or has previously been subject to any order
under RCW 26.44.063, this chapter, chapter 10.14 or 26.50 RCW, or any
equivalent order issued by another state or tribal court;
(b) Provide for the mandatory, immediate response to acts or
allegations of domestic violence committed or allegedly committed by a
sworn employee of an agency;
(c) Provide to a sworn employee, upon the request of the sworn
employee or when the sworn employee has been alleged to have committed
an act of domestic violence, information on programs under RCW
26.50.150;
(d) Provide for the mandatory, immediate reporting by employees
when an employee becomes aware of an allegation of domestic violence
committed or allegedly committed by a sworn employee of the agency
employing the sworn employee;
(e) Provide procedures to address reporting by an employee who is
the victim of domestic violence committed or allegedly committed by a
sworn employee of an agency;
(f) Provide for the mandatory, immediate self-reporting by a sworn
employee to his or her employing agency when an agency in any
jurisdiction has responded to a domestic violence call in which the
sworn employee committed or allegedly committed an act of domestic
violence;
(g) Provide for the mandatory, immediate self-reporting by a sworn
employee to his or her employing agency if the employee is currently
being investigated for an allegation of child abuse or neglect or has
previously been investigated for founded allegations of child abuse or
neglect, or is currently or has previously been subject to any order
under RCW 26.44.063, this chapter, chapter 10.14 or 26.50 RCW, or any
equivalent order issued by another state or tribal court;
(h) Provide for the performance of prompt separate and impartial
administrative and criminal investigations of acts or allegations of
domestic violence committed or allegedly committed by a sworn employee
of an agency;
(i) Provide for appropriate action to be taken during an
administrative or criminal investigation of acts or allegations of
domestic violence committed or allegedly committed by a sworn employee
of an agency. The policy shall provide procedures to address, in a
manner consistent with applicable law and the agency's ability to
maintain public safety within its jurisdiction, whether to relieve the
sworn employee of agency-issued weapons and other agency-issued
property and whether to suspend the sworn employee's power of arrest or
other police powers pending resolution of any investigation;
(j) Provide for prompt and appropriate discipline or sanctions
when, after an agency investigation, it is determined that a sworn
employee has committed an act of domestic violence;
(k) Provide that, when there has been an allegation of domestic
violence committed or allegedly committed by a sworn employee, the
agency immediately make available to the alleged victim the following
information:
(i) The agency's written policy on domestic violence committed or
allegedly committed by sworn employees;
(ii) Information, including but not limited to contact information,
about public and private nonprofit domestic violence advocates and
services; and
(iii) Information regarding relevant confidentiality policies
related to the victim's information;
(l) Provide procedures for the timely response, consistent with
chapters 42.17 and 10.97 RCW, to an alleged victim's inquiries into the
status of the administrative investigation and the procedures the
agency will follow in an investigation of domestic violence committed
or allegedly committed by a sworn employee;
(m) Provide procedures requiring an agency to immediately notify
the employing agency of a sworn employee when the notifying agency
becomes aware of acts or allegations of domestic violence committed or
allegedly committed by the sworn employee within the jurisdiction of
the notifying agency; and
(n) Provide procedures for agencies to access and share domestic
violence training within their jurisdiction and with other
jurisdictions.
(4) By June 1, 2005, every agency shall adopt and implement a
written policy on domestic violence committed or allegedly committed by
sworn employees of the agency that meet the minimum standards specified
in this section. In lieu of developing its own policy, the agency may
adopt the model policy developed by the association under this section.
In developing its own policy, or before adopting the model policy, the
agency shall consult public and private nonprofit domestic violence
advocates and any other organizations and professions the agency finds
appropriate.
(5)(a) Except as provided in this section, not later than June 30,
2006, every sworn employee of an agency shall be trained by the agency
on the agency's policy required under this section.
(b) Sworn employees hired by an agency on or after March 1, 2006,
shall, within six months of beginning employment, be trained by the
agency on the agency's policy required under this section.
(6)(a) By June 1, 2005, every agency shall provide a copy of its
policy developed under this section to the association and shall
provide a statement notifying the association of whether the agency has
complied with the training required under this section. The copy and
statement shall be provided in electronic format unless the agency is
unable to do so. The agency shall provide the association with any
revisions to the policy upon adoption.
(b) The association shall maintain a copy of each agency's policy
and shall provide to the governor and legislature not later than
January 1, 2006, a list of those agencies that have not developed and
submitted policies and those agencies that have not stated their
compliance with the training required under this section.
(c) The association shall, upon request and within its resources,
provide technical assistance to agencies in developing their policies.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 The code reviser shall correct any cross-references to RCW 10.99.020 that are changed by this act.