De-Escalate Washington, a community-led initiative that aims to reduce police violence, is heading to Olympia.
The group announced on Jan. 23 that the Secretary of State certified the signatures submitted to get the initiative in front of legislators. If electeds do not pass the measure, it will be put on the ballot for an up or down vote of the people.
“This is a great day for the more than 350,000 Washington voters who signed on to support de-escalation of police violence in our communities,” said Tim Reynon of the Puyallup Tribal Council in a statement. “The outpouring of support for this measure from across the state reflects a strong desire to protect families from unnecessary tragedy, and to better equip law enforcement to reduce use of force deaths and strengthen trust with their communities.”
The measure would require law enforcement officers to receive de-escalation and mental health training. It would also require that they perform first aid on those that they injure. Most importantly, it would make it easier to prosecute officers who kill people.
Ashley Archibald is a Staff Reporter covering local government, policy and equity. Have a story idea? She can be can reached at ashleya (at) realchangenews (dot) org. Twitter @AshleyA_RC
Wait, there's more. Check out the full Jan. 31 - Feb. 6 issue.