A new Republican leader on the Washington state Senate’s Law & Justice Committee has introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing the number of law enforcement officers in the state.
Jeff Holy, a Republican from Cheney, said in a statement that crime is becoming a bigger problem in Washington. The state ranks poorly in areas like murders, car thefts, and retail thefts, partly because it has the fewest police officers per person in the country.
Holy’s bill, Senate Bill 5060, would create a grant program to help local and tribal governments hire more law enforcement officers. The program would be supported by $100 million from the state’s general fund.
Steve Strachan, head of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, welcomed the bill, especially because Democratic Senator Manka Dhingra from Seattle is co-sponsoring it. He also praised the governor-elect’s commitment to making public safety a top priority, including hiring more officers with higher pay and signing bonuses.
However, Strachan noted that law enforcement requests for funding may face competition in the upcoming state budget. He said it’s uncertain how the legislature and new governor will manage the budget, especially with many competing priorities.
Holy, a retired police officer, stressed the need for more officers to ensure safer communities and roads. The next legislative session will begin in January and run until late April.