Training is and has always been key to law-enforcement officers conducting pursuits safely. However, when the law was changed last year as an unnecessary reaction to a perceived problem, the Legislature needed to address severe limits placed on pursuits.
Legislators should educate themselves on what is already done by agencies: (1) Pursuits are inherently dangerous to everyone, but officers are already trained to weigh and assess risks involved when deciding to initiate, continue, or terminate a pursuit; (2) By most policies in this state, officers are already required to notify supervisors, dispatchers, and neighboring jurisdictions of a pursuit; (3) Upon initiating, officers are trained to plan a termination “as soon as practicable” using various tools and techniques available; (4) Officers currently receive emergency vehicle operations training in the basic academy, but not everyone receives specific in-car pursuit training.
This last limitation includes continual driver training, which is considerably lacking in the state. With only one actual driver training facility specific for law enforcement (Washington State Patrol), additional facilities would help many agencies receive continual and updated training. With changes to the law, the Legislature should address money for training and development of proper facilities around the state to perform that training.
