BILL REQ. #:  H-0992.1 

Read first time 01/30/13.   Referred to Committee on Public Safety.

     AN ACT Relating to requiring crisis intervention training for peace officers; 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) The commission shall provide every new full-time law enforcement officer employed after July 1, 2015, by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency with crisis invention training. The training shall consist of not less than forty hours and shall be incorporated into the basic training academy as provided in RCW 43.101.200.
     (2) The commission must ensure that:
     (a) Each full-time law enforcement officer certified before July 1, 2015, and employed by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency is provided with crisis intervention training by July 1, 2015. The training shall consist of not less than forty hours and shall be substantially similar in hours and content to the training offered through the basic training academy. Each attendee of the program shall be required to obtain written proof of completion of the program as provided by rules of the commission;
     (b) All full-time law enforcement officers who are certified after July 1, 2015, complete eight hours of annual crisis intervention retraining that shall be incorporated into the annual training required by the commission for all certified officers. As a condition of continuing employment and recertification as law enforcement officers under RCW 43.101.095, all Washington law enforcement officers must annually complete the eight hours of crisis intervention training.
     (3) The commission shall establish by rule:
     (a) A program and standards by which to certify organizations, other than the commission, that may provide crisis intervention training required under this section. The commission shall consider the geographic training needs when considering programs and standards;
     (b) Standards for successful completion of the annual eight hours of crisis intervention training as provided in subsection (2)(b) of this section. The standards shall include, at a minimum, the requirement of successful completion of a written exam as defined by rule.
     (4) For the purposes of this section, "crisis intervention training" means training designed to provide tools and resources to law enforcement officers in order to respond more effectively to individuals who may be experiencing an emotional, mental, physical, behavioral, or chemical dependency crisis, distress, or problem and that are designed to increase the safety of both law enforcement and individuals in crisis.