Dayton Chronicle - Your Hometown News Source

OLYMPIA–As a lawmaker, I try to minimize the unintended impacts of legislation. To prevent unintended consequences, it is critical that legislators listen to concerns from those impacted and make sure those voices are represented when policy decisions are made.

Such is the case with several police reform policies enacted in 2021 (House Bills 1310 and 1054) that severely hampered our law enforcement officers. Our delegation heard from those impacted, and opposed both flawed bills.

Officers can’t effectively respond to emergencies if we have eliminated important non-lethal tools used to de-escalate. Officers can’t help a person suffering a mental health crisis if their partnership with a behavioral health professional has been severed by legislative action. Officers can’t ensure public safety if they cannot use force to detain a violent criminal at a crime scene.

For communities to thrive, we must develop policies that effectively address the root causes of these problems. We must address our police officer recruitment and retention crisis and provide more funding to police departments. Washington can no longer rank last in the nation regarding the number of police officers per capita.

Is anything happening to reverse these failed reforms?

There was a strong push to fix some of last year’s legislative flaws this session. Unfortunately, only a few were addressed.

Less-lethal types of equipment, such as bean bags and foam projectiles, are important tools in the toolbox of our law enforcement agencies to de-escalate serious situations and prevent the use of deadly force. An unintended consequence 2021’s House Bill 1054 was to ban these tools. House Bill 1719 reverses the ban.

The partnership between our law enforcement officers and behavioral health professionals is paramount. Last year’s House Bill 1310 eroded this essential partnership, thus endangering those experiencing a mental health crisis and the public. House Bill 1735 will restore: 1) law enforcement officers’ ability to use reasonable physical force to take a person who is experiencing a mental health crisis into custody for their safety and protection, and provide other assistance under the Involuntary Treatment Act; 2) the partnership between officers and behavioral health professionals to work collaboratively in helping the most vulnerable members of our communities; and 3) law enforcement partnerships with firefighters, emergency medical service providers, and other first responders.

House Bill 1719 and 1735 passed and are scheduled to be signed by Governor Inslee and go into effect immediately.

The police reform policies from last year tied law enforcement agencies’ hands regarding where and how they can use force. One of their top requests to the Legislature was to provide clarity and definitions into the use-of-force standards. House Bill 2037 would provide definitions so law enforcement officers can confidently do their jobs. The Senate offered their version in Senate Bill 5919. Their bill would provide more precise definitions of the use-of-force standards and re-incorporate the “reasonable suspicion” standard, which would allow officers to perform vehicular pursuits. These bills passed their chambers but seem to have stalled in the legislative process. Law enforcement needs these definitions clarified, or their hands will remain tied.

With a focus on compassion and accountability, I will continue working in a bipartisan manner to foster solutions that don’t compromise public safety; keeping our families, neighborhoods, and communities safe; and ensuring accountability.

Rep. Skyler Rude, R-Walla Walla serves the 16th Legislative District.