Washington state is on the brink of offering new grants for cities and counties to hire additional police officers, following a recent bipartisan vote in the state Senate.
However, the details surrounding the funding in the latest bill remain uncertain, particularly in relation to Governor Bob Ferguson’s proposal of $100 million for police hiring grants in the 2025-2027 operating budget.
Under House Bill 2015 (HB 2015), local jurisdictions seeking access to state grants for police hiring and training must implement their own sales tax to fund criminal justice programs.
The bill allows most local jurisdictions to raise sales taxes for this purpose by 0.1% without requiring voter approval.
Supporters from the Democratic Party emphasized that the bill aims to strengthen the entire criminal justice system, not solely increase police ranks.
Senator Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond), speaking on the Senate floor, noted that the local sales tax “allows the cities and counties to have some skin in the game.”
The proposed local tax is designed to provide a sustainable revenue stream for retaining new police hires after the grant funds have been utilized.
In addition, these local funds could also be allocated to public defenders, reentry programs, and a broader range of “criminal justice purposes,” as stated in the bill.
The bill stipulates that grants will only be awarded to agencies that have completed required training at the Criminal Justice Training Center.
“There has to be more than just police on the streets,” emphasized Rep. Debra Entenman (D-Covington), the bill’s primary sponsor, during a committee hearing in February.
She stressed the importance of ensuring that community safety initiatives encompass a wider definition of public safety.
After undergoing several amendments, HB 2015 gained bipartisan support in the Senate, ultimately passing with a vote of 30-19.
Senator Jeff Holy (R-Spokane), a retired police officer who proposed an alternative bill, described the current legislative effort as not a complete solution but rather a starting point.
He commended Governor Ferguson for advocating for police hiring during the session.
“I am tickled Gov. Ferguson is paying attention to this,” Holy remarked before the Senate vote.
“He’s actually paying attention to the priorities of government; finally someone is able to work with us on the things that some of us just find bread and butter, [which] are so necessary.”
Despite the bipartisan cooperation, both Democrat and Republican senators expressed reservations about the bill.
Senator Phil Fortunato (R-Auburn) articulated concerns about the local sales tax requirement, suggesting it complicates the proposed solutions.
“We need this infusion of public safety; we’re so far behind,” he acknowledged.
“Unfortunately, I’m going to have to vote no because I believe we should be doing this without the tax increase.”
Conversely, Senator John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) backed the bill, asserting that recent trends indicate an improvement in the state’s public safety situation.
“Violent crime has been down in our state 30%; property crime has been down 25%; auto theft has been down 30 percent,” Lovick stated, highlighting positive data.
He further mentioned that there are currently 300 peace officers in training across the state’s five police academies.
In support of the police hiring grants, King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall provided testimony and confirmed her ongoing backing of the legislation through a spokesperson.
The Washington State Fraternal Order of Police expressed strong support for the bill, stating it “reinforces trust and confidence between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”
The FOP stressed that by requiring grant recipients to comply with training and policy standards set by the state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission, the legislation will promote accountability while enhancing “law enforcement quality.”
The Fraternal Order of Police also commented on the local sales tax option, saying it “empowers communities to create tailored public safety strategies and ensures continued funding for local criminal justice systems.”
Contrarily, the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, which has consistently pointed out that Washington has the lowest police staffing per capita in the nation, voiced concerns regarding the potential implementation of the grant process.
In an April 15 letter, the association’s leadership described the grant scheme as potentially “cumbersome” and “unworkable,” expressing apprehension that the bill, in its present form, might allocate funds more to bureaucracy rather than directly increasing the number of officers on the streets.
However, following Senate amendments, the association expressed optimism, indicating that key concerns might have been addressed.
Steve Strachan, Executive Director, expressed hope that the measure sent to the governor would make the grant process accessible to smaller and rural agencies, just as it would be for larger, well-resourced agencies.
Now, HB 2015 is set to return to the state House for further consideration.
During a press conference held by Republican leaders on April 17, Rep. Chris Corry (R-Yakima), the deputy minority leader, called for the state to allocate the $100 million for police hiring without imposing the local sales tax requirements.
Corry criticized the approach taken, suggesting it placed unnecessary burdens on residents by compelling them to tax themselves for services that ought to be provided directly by the state.
“It should be a, ‘Hey, sorry we really messed up and we put you in some bad spots so here’s some money to help us get back on the right track,’ instead of saying, ‘Look, you want it you can tax yourself to do it,’” Corry stated.
He concluded by expressing that this mentality in Olympia is concerning.
The governor’s office, when approached for comment, did not respond to KUOW’s inquiry.
The legislative session is set to adjourn on April 27.
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