The Washington state Capitol. (Jerry Cornfield / Washington State Standard)
One of Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson’s signature campaign promises was a $100 million proposal to help local police departments recruit officers.
On Thursday, the incoming governor threw his support behind a bill to accomplish exactly that.
Senate Bill 5060, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, would send $100 million to the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission to develop a grant program for local police departments to hire cops.
“One of Governor-elect Ferguson’s campaign pledges this year was to increase the number of law-enforcement officers in our state — via a statewide grant program,” Holy, a former Spokane detective, said in a statement last month. “I strongly agree with him on this issue, which is why I’m again sponsoring a bill that would add more officers throughout Washington. This could really help make our communities safer.”
Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, has also sponsored the legislation. Dhingra and Holy are the chair and top Republican on the state Senate’s Law & Justice Committee, respectively.
Ferguson told reporters Thursday he’d discussed the proposal with Holy.
“He’s looking forward to working with me and I’m looking forward to working with him on that legislation,” Ferguson said. “It’s going to be bipartisan.”
He added later, in response to an unrelated question from a reporter: “One thing I can assure you, if I said something during the campaign, I plan on delivering on it.”
For years, Washington has ranked last in the nation in police staffing per capita. Last year, the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs reported the state had about 10,700 commissioned law enforcement officers.
Under Holy’s bill, the grants would provide up to 75% of the entry-level salary and fringe benefits for a maximum of three years. The state would provide no more than $125,000 per position. The local department would foot at least 25% of the bill.
But where the $100 million will come from amid a projected budget shortfall of around $10 billion to $12 billion over the next four years is a “good question,” state Rep. Timm Ormsby, the chair of the state House Appropriations Committee, said Thursday.
State Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, threw some cold water on Ferguson’s proposal as a solution to the state’s police staffing crisis. He noted local departments already offer generous incentives to lure in recruits and officers working at other agencies.
“At some point, you have to realize it’s not just the money; it’s the respect for law enforcement in our state,” Couture said Thursday.
Monica Alexander, the training commission’s executive director, said the money could be one piece to turn the tide on staffing.
“It’s like baking a cake and there’s a lot of ingredients to make this right,” she said Thursday.
Another proposal filed in the Legislature last month would empower local governments to levy a 0.1% sales and use tax, with at least half of those proceeds having to go toward attracting and retaining police officers.
The legislative session starts Monday.