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Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why police accountability efforts failed again in the Washington Legislature
The Washington state Capitol on April 18, 2025. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard) For a second year in a row, Washington police accountability advocates have seen their priorities fall flat in Olympia. They entered this year's session wanting to grant the attorney general stronger oversight of local police departments. They also wanted to create an independent prosecutor to handle cases when police use deadly force; restrict when officers can pull drivers over; block law enforcement from lying during interrogations; and set new standards for police chiefs and sheriffs. None of those proposals will become law this year. None even received votes from either chamber of the Washington Legislature, despite growing Democratic majorities. 'This is the saddest time of my life, because this is the world I have to leave my children,' said Nickeia Hunter, an advocate from the Coalition for Police Accountability, whose brother was killed by police. 'We have to stay on top of fighting for what we started.' It's a far cry from a few years ago when police accountability gained momentum in the Legislature in the wake of George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020 and the social uprising that followed. In the immediate aftermath, lawmakers passed a suite of laws to set additional guardrails for police. This included restricting when they could pursue people suspected of crimes — a move that drew such staunch pushback, lawmakers rolled back the policy last year. They also banned police from using chokeholds, created a statewide use of force database and established a first-of-its-kind Office of Independent Investigations to look into deadly force cases. Legislators' biggest move on policing this year was acquiescing to Gov. Bob Ferguson's ask for $100 million to hire more officers, a request that drew frustration from many progressive Democrats. Steve Strachan, the executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, noted that officials are still waiting to see how some of the big changes made in 2021 are playing out and called the shift since then 'a more balanced approach.' The difficult budget year also acted as a buzzsaw that sheared away police accountability bills that would've cost money. Meanwhile, fears of rising crime have emboldened opposition to policies believed to hinder officers trying to do their jobs. In 2023, the last year with available statewide data, the state saw a significant decrease in year-over-year violent crimes after years of increases, according to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. More broadly, this has all powered a pendulum swing in the establishment conversation from fixing policing to helping police. 'Increased accountability helps everyone be able to do their job well, and to make sure that they have the supports and the infrastructure in place to do their job well,' said Rep. Darya Farivar, a Seattle Democrat and leading police accountability proponent in the Legislature. 'It is, frankly, a little confusing to me why some folks don't seem to understand that.' A new sheriff in town Ferguson's rhetoric in his first few months in office played a part in the paradigm shift this year. Starting on the campaign trail and in his inaugural address, the new Democratic governor, who supported police accountability efforts while attorney general, was steadfast in his request for a new $100 million grant program to bring on more law enforcement officers. He hopes the money will turn the tide on Washington's long-held last-place ranking nationwide in police staffing per capita. After not including the funding in their initial proposals, Democrats relented under threat of veto to include it in the final budget that's now on the governor's desk. This sucked away some money that could've been used for police oversight measures, said Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma. Strachan said that the funding tracks with the public's priorities. 'There's a general consensus, I think, among a lot of residents in our state, that, yes, we want to make sure that law enforcement is doing a good job and is being fair and transparent, but also that we need more officers and we need to support public safety,' he said. Departments can use the $100 million for more than just officers on the beat. Under House Bill 2015, the money can also go toward peer counselors, behavioral health co-responders, training and other broader public safety efforts. While Republicans generally supported the idea behind the grant program, many of them believe Washington's police staffing difficulties are caused more by the state's perceived hostility toward law enforcement than anything else. The money also comes with strings. To access grant funding, for example, cities and counties need to either implement a new 0.1% sales tax for public safety or have already imposed a similar tax. They also need to follow state model policies as well as collect and report use of force data. In a statement, Ferguson said increasing hiring and adopting police accountability measures 'are not mutually exclusive.' 'They can, and should, go hand in hand,' the governor said. 'For example, HB 2015 creates a $100 million grant program to hire more law enforcement officers and contains strong accountability conditions for agencies that will receive the grants.' Ferguson has not yet approved the final budget or House Bill 2015. He has a couple weeks to do so. Looking forward Trudeau hopes once local law enforcement can address the staffing issue, the discussion can turn back to accountability. Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, plans to spend the interim before next year's legislative session meeting with police officials. He wants to mend the relationship between Olympia and on-the-ground law enforcement. 'It's, I believe, incumbent on me to do some repair work with the police community, because it's been a pretty aggressive effort, all well meaning and I think good policy, but it needs to be done in a more collaborative fashion,' said Goodman, the chair of the House Community Safety Committee. Hunter, with the Coalition for Police Accountability, described the path forward as 'bleak.' 'But we'll be damned if we sit down and be like, 'Oh, we're just going to have to have to accept it,'' she said. With a short, 60-day legislative session in 2026, she isn't hopeful for major gains. But she and others plan to keep telling their stories in hopes of convincing people about the importance of the issue.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pierce County police chief who ‘built lasting trust within the community' set to retire
Gig Harbor Police Chief Kelly Busey will retire June 23 after a career of more than 30 years in law enforcement, the city of Gig Harbor announced in a news release Thursday. Overseeing a department of 24 commissioned officers and three administrative staff, Busey stepped into the role of chief in 2014. He started out as an entry-level police officer for the Gig Harbor Police Department in 1991 after working for the Coast Guard, according to the release. 'Chief Busey has been an exemplary leader, providing steadfast service and commitment to the safety of our residents,' Mayor Mary Barber said in the release. 'His leadership has strengthened our Police Department and built lasting trust within the community.' According to the release, Busey's contributed his expertise in investigations, marine-services operations and communications to the department. The city also thanked him for his 'leadership, operational planning, management, technical writing, and crisis communications.' Under Busey's leadership, the Gig Harbor Police Department became accredited by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs on March 18 after an 18-month process, according to a city department update. According to the WASPC website, accreditation is an optional distinction that shows an agency is following 'industry best practices and standards,' focusing on 18 different areas, including use of force, personnel management, records management, information technology, health and safety, fiscal management and more. The process culminates with an on-site inspection. 'Our department learned about ourselves and improved in certain areas,' Busey wrote in the city newsletter March 19. 'It was also good to know that we have largely been doing things the proper way even before the process started ... Most importantly, our residents and businesses can be assured that we are doing our job in an efficient, legal, and transparent manner.' The department will receive an accreditation certificate in May, according to the city newsletter. Busey also oversaw the launch of the department's Business Check program in 2021 to help curb retail theft in Gig Harbor, The News Tribune reported. Larceny-theft offenses were the city's top crime incident in 2023, at 26.8 incidents per 1,000 people, according to the most recent statewide crime report from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. The program gave retail store employees a way to call police for a 'Business Check' if they noticed suspicious activity, without having to confirm whether someone was shoplifting and risk making a false accusation. More recently, Busey explored the option of contracting with Flock Safety to install 10 automated license-plate readers in Gig Harbor after he learned a City Council member was interested in what technologies the department could leverage. He also led the department in securing a grant from the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority to pay for the cameras' installation and one year of operation. The cameras don't issue speeding tickets but help law enforcement agencies more easily track stolen vehicles, locate missing people and solve other crimes. Busey made a formal presentation to the council Monday, but the council voted against a contract with Flock following several residents' public comments opposing it, The News Tribune reported. The city is planning a retirement reception for Busey near the end of June and will release the date and other details soon, the release said.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
Everett Police Department grapples with staffing shortages
The Everett Police Department says it's grappling with staffing shortages. There are currently 195 officers, but they have about 221 positions, which means they have 24 positions they are looking to fill. KIRO 7 spoke to Lieutenant Gregory Sutherland with the Everett Police Department. He said in recent years, officers have seen dwindling pools to pull prospective officers from. 'It's been a struggle for years to fill positions that we have,' Sutherland told KIRO 7. 'It's a great department to work for. There's a lot of challenges, but like many places across the country, we're struggling to fill out positions.' Since 2020, the department has hired 91 officers but has also lost some each year. Lt. Sutherland said that because of the empty positions, their response times are slower and they aren't able to investigate crimes as quickly because they don't have enough detectives. 'We have really good people and do the best with what we have.' It's not just a problem that Everett is facing – it's something agencies are experiencing statewide. According to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, Washington has had the lowest officer-to-resident ratio in the nation for 14 years in a row. As part of his Public Safety Plan, Governor Bob Ferguson has proposed a $100 million grant program for law enforcement agencies to help with hiring. If anyone is interested in law enforcement, Lt. Sutherland suggested that they reach out to the Everett police. 'We encourage people who are interested to come on a ride-along, meet an officer, and see what the department is like.'
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WA lawmakers discussing bill to reform pre-trial release policies
The Brief Washington lawmakers are weighing House Bill 1252. The bill would reform how pre-trial releases are handled across the state. Some lawmakers say current policies endanger the public, while members of the ACLU argue the bill would do more harm than good. OLYMPIA, Wash. - The House Community Safety Committee convened Thursday to hear testimony on House Bill 1252, which aims to reform pre-trial release policies in Washington state. Sponsored by Rep. Lauren Davis, D-32, the bill seeks to make it more difficult for suspects who run from police to get out of jail and to increase judicial accountability. The bill would require judges to classify suspects who flee from police as public safety threats, granting them the authority to impose higher bail amounts. What they're saying "We have a small collection of judicial officers, primarily concentrated on the I-5 corridor who are routinely making pre-trial release decisions that, by any objective measure, by any reasonable predictability are reckless and dangerous. These judges are, in fact, abusing their discretion, and they are doing so in a manner that endangers innocent Washingtonians and the brave peace officers who work tirelessly to keep us safe," said Rep. Davis. Oftentimes, judges release defendants on personal recognizance or on low bail with Electronic Home Monitoring. Rep. Davis says that provides a false sense of security. Strap cuts are common and there is no real-time monitoring by law enforcement. Responses to violations, such as curfew breaches or device tampering, can take up to a day, leading to significant risks for the community. "We should not be sacrificing the safety of the entire community at the altar of liberty for one criminal defendant," she added. Big picture view Currently in Washington state, there is a presumption of release for defendants. After a preliminary court appearance, anyone charged with a noncapital offense should be released on personal recognizance pending trial. This presumption can be overcome though, if the court finds that the defendant is likely to fail to appear, commit a violent crime, or intimidate witnesses or interfere with justice. Before imposing bail, judges must consider less restrictive options. Local perspective However, recent decisions by judges to release suspects pending trial for violent crimes has left family members of victims feeling frustrated. "We've seen some judges claim to be part of quote, the resistance in a system quote, complicit and perpetuating oppression and seeking to speak quote, my truth as a judge. This kind of behavior only heightens the reason to simply require a judge to give a reason, at least allowing us to know why dangerous individuals are being released back into our communities," said James McMann of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs who supports the bill. The bill also received support from several local law enforcement leaders including Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders and Sumner Police Deputy Chief Andy McCurdy. "I understand that incarceration can often worsen situations but for individuals committing violent crimes who lack a support system, temporary detention is often the only way to prevent further harm until intervention and prevention resources can be effective implemented," said Chief McCurdy. He recounted a violent incident last year as an example. "We had two armed suspects who violently carjacked a woman at the Sumner Winco. They shot at bystanders. They shot one bystander in the head and severely injured the man who lost his eye and almost lost his eye as a result . After a lengthy manhunt with extensive resources, we finally got them in custody and then the judge quickly released one to the community. This sent the wrong message," said Chief McCurdy. Renton Police Chief Jon Schuldt also added his support after several violent suspects were released and have remained on the run, "Far too often, the judges are showing more empathy towards the suspects and minimizing the suspect's behavior at the expense of public safety." The other side Opposition to the bill came from civil rights advocates, including Jasmine Clark from the ACLU. She argued that the bill undermines the presumption of innocence and disproportionately affects marginalized communities. "This could lead to more juveniles held in detention, which studies have shown to have long-term negative effects on their development and rehabilitation," Clark cautioned. "This bill undermines the principle that individuals are innocent until proven guilty and disproportionately impacts marginalized communities who are more likely to encounter aggressive policing tactics." she added. Romana Brandise, representing the Washington Defender Association and the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, contended that the bill violates the separation of powers between the judiciary and the legislature. "This bill changes the presumption of release, conflicting with court rules established by the Supreme Court," she stated. What's next A committee vote on whether to move HB 1252 forward is expected this week. To comment on this proposed bill under consideration, please call or email your legislator directly. Details about commenting on legislation can be found here. You can also download House Bill 1252. The Source Information for this article comes from original FOX 13 reporting. 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