BILL REQ. #:  H-0449.1 

Read first time 01/19/11.   Referred to Committee on Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness.

     AN ACT Relating to motorcycle profiling; and adding a new section to chapter 43.101 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.101 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Local law enforcement agencies shall:
     (a) Adopt a written policy designed to condemn and prevent motorcycle profiling;
     (b) Review and audit their existing procedures, practices, and training to ensure that they do not enable or foster the practice of motorcycle profiling;
     (c) Institute training to address the issues related to motorcycle profiling. Officers should be trained in how to better interact with persons they stop so that legitimate police actions are not misperceived as motorcycle profiling; and
     (d) Work with motorcycle groups in their communities to appropriately address the issue of motorcycle profiling.
     (2) The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall coordinate with the criminal justice training commission to ensure that issues related to motorcycle profiling are addressed in basic law enforcement training and offered in regional training for in-service law enforcement officers at all levels.
     (3) For the purposes of this section, "motorcycle profiling" means using the fact that a person rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related paraphernalia as a factor in deciding to stop and question, take enforcement action, arrest, or search a person or vehicle with or without legal basis under the United States Constitution or the Washington state Constitution.