Criminal Justice Training Commission. The Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) establishes the standards and process to certify peace officers and other law enforcement (LE) personnel. It also provides training and educational programs including the Basic Law Enforcement Academy and specialized trainings.
Law Enforcement Training. The CJTC has sole authority to provide basic law enforcement training to all peace officers. All peace officers must complete basic law enforcement training within a certain time period following employment, ranging from 6 to 15 months. Successful completion of training is a mandatory requirement for continued employment.
Since 2012 the employing county, city and state employed LE agency has been required to reimburse CJTC for 25 percent of the cost of training its personnel.
Law Enforcement Personnel and Peace Officers. LE personnel include any general authority peace officers. A general authority peace officer is a full-time officer of a state or local government or agency whose primary function is enforcing the traffic or criminal laws. The Washington State Patrol and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife are general authority peace officers. For CJTC purposes a peace officer has the same meaning as a general authority peace officer.
Beginning July 1, 2024, county, city, or state LE agencyies are not required to reimburse the CJTC for 25 percent of the cost of training their personnel.
PRO: This bill is an attempt to right size to have the CJTC pay for the training. Cities and counties still have to pay the salaries of their employees. Newly hired 2024 police officers wouldn't have a class available for them until at least July 2024 at the earliest so we have investment. Biggest issue is public safety, and this will help. Counties would ask for removal of this recession practice and bring balance back. Will save smaller communities and local governments some money. Fifty-five percent of commissioned law enforcement are city police. Cities will save over $2.5 million. Restore historical practice. Cost for an agency is just under $5,000 to send a recruit to training. Prior to 2012 the state paid 100 percent of the costs.