Dear neighbors,
These first few weeks of the 2025 Legislative Session have been incredibly busy. As we face some very difficult budget challenges this year, I have worked to focus on those priorities most important and impactful to our community. One of those crucial issues is public safety and fostering a new, more diverse law enforcement culture by ensuring that our Southwest Washington Criminal Justice Training Center can continue operating. In 2021, the Legislature funded three new Criminal Justice Training Commission Regional Training Academies (RTAs), including one in Southwest Washington. These academies have been an incredible success, making careers in law enforcement more accessible than ever for the people in our district and cutting wait times for recruits to attend training from two years to 30 days or less. Our SW RTA gives recruits the opportunity to train close to the communities they live in and love, strengthening the bond between officers and the neighbors and neighborhoods they will go on to protect. More importantly, being able to attend this program locally instead of having to move outside of our community finally opens this profession up to those who have traditionally been prevented from pursuing law enforcement as a career.
Since opening in 2024, our regional academy has been temporarily located in the former Image Elementary school in Vancouver. Our campus has graduated two classes, with a third slated to graduate in April, and demonstrated the incredible value of an RTA in Southwest Washington. The program has helped us recruit so many more women into law enforcement. Thanks to our regional academies, we are well on our way to meeting our 30×30 goal of 30% female officers by 2030! Now, it’s time for us to find a permanent home for the academy so we can continue to train the next generation of law enforcement and ensure a diverse new generation of officers stands ready to keep our communities safe.
I know that collaborative leadership matters, and I am so pleased to share that a bipartisan group has come together in support of this regional need. Every member of the Southwest Washington Delegation has signed a letter expressing our support for the building of a new facility near the Clark College Boschma Farms Campus in Ridgefield. With state investment in planning and construction, we will be able to build a state-of-the-art campus capable of accommodating the needs of our peace officer training program and help build a homegrown workforce. You can click here to read the letter.
My overarching focuses this year continue to be maintaining access to quality education, living wage jobs and quality health care. I have been working on a number of bills aimed at these priorities and will share more with you as these bills advance. In the meantime, if you are interested in more information on the bills, I am prime sponsoring, please click here.
Finally, I have already enjoyed so many visits here in Olympia by many of you. I appreciate your taking the time to travel to Olympia to share your priorities and feedback. Below are a few pictures of those who have spent time with me recently. It is such a boost to see constituents and friends from home and helps me not feel quite as homesick! Keep the visits coming!
(Cloclwise from Top Right: Local Advocates; Port of Vancouver, Ridgefield, Camas; Port Day Advocates; Credit Unions Advocates; Clark College Advocates; Sea Mar Advocates; WSU Vancouver)
Thank you for being engaged and involved!
Remember, your voice is integral to the lawmaking process!
I always look forward to learning more about your priorities; you can send me an email at Annette.Cleveland@leg.wa.gov or call my office at 360-786-7696.
Warmly,
