AN ACT Relating to requiring crisis intervention training for peace officers; adding a new section to chapter 43.101 RCW; and creating a new section.

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 crisis intervention training to every new full-time law enforcement officer employed after July 1, 2017, by a general authority Washington law enforcement agency. The training shall consist of not less than eight hours and shall be incorporated into the basic training academy as provided in RCW 43.101.200.

(2) The commission must ensure that:

(a) All full-time, general authority Washington peace officers who are certified after July 1, 2017, complete a two-hour online crisis intervention course as part of the annual training required by the commission for all full-time, general authority Washington peace officers employed by a general authority Washington law enforcement agency.

(b) Each full-time general authority Washington peace officer certified before July 1, 2017, receives crisis intervention training by July 1, 2021. The training shall consist of not less than eight 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.

(3) The commission shall make efforts to provide enhanced crisis intervention training for at least twenty-five percent of all full-time, general authority Washington peace officers assigned to patrol duties. The enhanced training may be (a) comprised of forty hours of commission-certified training and (b) accomplished within any funds remaining after appropriation is made for purposes of this section.

(4) By July 1, 2017, the commission shall establish by rule:

(a) A program and standards to certify organizations, other than the commission, that may provide crisis intervention training as required under this section. Certified organizations must use a commission-certified training or curriculum to facilitate the training. The commission shall consider geographic training needs when considering programs and standards. The commission shall provide grants to general authority Washington law enforcement agencies to reimburse those law enforcement agencies for the cost of sending officers to crisis intervention training;

(b) Standards for successful completion of the annual two hours of crisis intervention training as provided in subsection (2) of this section. The standards shall include, at a minimum, the requirement of successful completion of a written exam.

(5) For the purposes of this section, "crisis intervention training" means training designed to provide tools and resources to full-time, general authority Washington peace officers in order to respond 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.

(6) This section is subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose.

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