SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5086
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Law & Justice, February 2, 2023
Title: An act relating to training for tribal police officers and employees.
Brief Description: Concerning training for tribal police officers and employees.
Sponsors: Senators Lovick, Wagoner, Holy, Hunt and Nguyen; by request of Criminal Justice Training Commission.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Law & Justice: 1/30/23, 2/02/23 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Requires tribal agencies with tribal officer certification written agreements with the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) to reimburse the CJTC for 25 percent of the cost of training its personnel. 
  • Requires tribes without current written tribal officer certification agreements with the CJTC to pay the full cost of providing such training.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Dhingra, Chair; Trudeau, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Member; Kuderer, McCune, Pedersen, Salomon, Torres, Valdez, Wagoner and Wilson, L..
Staff: Tim Ford (786-7423)
Background:

The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) was created in 1974 to establish standards and provide training to criminal justice professionals, including peace officers, local corrections officers and to certify, and when necessary decertify, peace officers.   As a condition of employment, all Washington peace officers and corrections officers are required to obtain certification as required by law and the rules of the CJTC. 

 

The CJTC provides Basic Law Enforcement Trainings (BLET) , which is Washington’s mandated training for all city and county entry-level peace officers in the state. BLET must be successfully completed within the first six months of employment unless waived or extended by the CJTC.  The Basic Law Enforcement Academy provides the necessary facilities, supplies, materials, board and room for noncommuting attendees for seven days per week in order to complete the BLET.  State law mandates agencies shall reimburse the CJTC 25 percent of the cost for the BLET.

 

In 1981, the Legislature provided that tribal officers and employees who are engaged in law enforcement activities and who do not qualify as criminal justice personnel or law enforcement personnel may be trained through BLET if the tribe is recognized by the federal government, and the tribe pays to the CJTC the full cost of providing such training.  There are 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington State.

 

Tribal governments may voluntarily request certification for their police officers.  Tribal governments requesting certification must enter into a written agreement with the CJTC.  The agreement must require the tribal law enforcement agency and its officers to comply with all of the requirements for granting, denying, and revoking certification just the same as those requirements are applied to peace officers certified under state law and the rules of the commission.  Application for certification as a tribal police officer shall be accepted and processed in the same manner as those for certification of peace officers.
Summary of Bill:

Tribal agencies with tribal officer certification written agreements with the CJTC shall reimburse the CJTC for 25 percent of the cost of training its personnel.  Tribes without current written tribal officer certification agreements with the commission shall pay to the commission the full cost of providing such training.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

PRO: This bill is about fairness.  This bill will reduce the cost of basic law enforcement training for tribal agencies.  It will bring the cost of training tribal police on par with what cities, counties and state law enforcement agencies currently pay.  Tribal partners should be trained like other police officers for the same price.  Providing seamless law enforcement in rural Washington is a priority.

 

OTHER: Anything that helps create and streamline safety in our communities is a good thing, especially if it minimizes cost for people.  If this helps the rampant crime throughout Washington State, we should be all for it if constitutional protections are considered prior to passage.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator John Lovick, Prime Sponsor; Monica Alexander, Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission; Michael Moran, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation; Jerred Michael Erickson, Chairman, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
OTHER: Eric Pratt, I, America.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.