FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Feb. 08, 2024
Lovick bill to allow private donations to help fund law enforcement training passes Senate
OLYMPIA – Legislation passed in the Senate today would allow the Criminal Justice Training Commission to accept donated money or property to go towards funding a Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) class.
“The foundation of safe, effective policing is training,’ said Sen. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek), the prime sponsor of SB 6301. “With these donations, private citizens or organizations can make an investment in the safety of their community.”
Completing a BLEA class is mandatory for peace officers serving in any Washington state law enforcement agency. One class trains about 30 students and costs approximately $860,000 per class. Most of the cost is paid by Washington state with a lesser portion paid for by local law enforcement agencies.
“This is another step to help us address our officer shortage and get more officers trained and ready to protect the community.” Lovick said. “The CJTC Regional Training Academies the Legislature funded last session have already begun training the next generation of peace officers. If community members want to help, we should welcome that support.”
When a donation is offered or bequeathed to the CJTC, the commission will determine the value and coordinate the donations with any grant applications or other sources of BLEA funding.
The bill is now headed to the House of Representatives for consideration. Its progress can be tracked here.
