Lovick bill to allow private donations to help fund law enforcement training signed into law
OLYMPIA – Legislation passed in the House today would allow the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) to accept donated money or property to go towards funding a Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) class.
“This year is all about public safety and officer recruitment,” said Sen. John Lovick (D-Everett), prime sponsor of SB 6301. “We’re offering more training than ever through our CJTC Regional Training Academies; now private citizens and organizations have the opportunity to 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 can train about 30 students and costs approximately $860,000 per class. Most of the cost is paid by Washington state, with a lesser portion paid by local law enforcement agencies.
“We are seeing an incredibly encouraging increase in officer recruitment,” Lovick said. “If community members want to offer help, we should welcome their donations.”
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.
