Washington state is closer to providing new state grants for cities and counties to hire more police officers following a bipartisan vote in the state Senate on Wednesday. But it’s not clear how the funding in the latest bill will compare with Gov. Bob Ferguson’s call for $100 million in hiring grants in the 2025-2027 operating budget.

Under HB 2015, in order to access state grants for police hiring and training, local jurisdictions must also implement their own sales tax to fund criminal justice programs. The bill authorizes most local jurisdictions to raise sales taxes for this purpose by .1% without voter approval.

But Democratic backers said the bill’s intent was to shore up the entire system, not just police ranks.

“That is what a comprehensive strategy to address criminal justice issues looks like,” Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond) said on the Senate floor Wednesday. She added that the local sales tax “allows the cities and counties to have some skin in the game.”

The local tax provides a revenue stream to retain the new hires once the grant has been spent, but the local funds could also go towards public defenders, reentry programs, and a broader array of “criminal justice purposes,” the bill states. The bill also conditions the grants on agencies having completed prescribed trainings at the Criminal Justice Training Center.

“There has to be more than just police on the streets,” said Rep. Debra Entenman, D-Covington, the bill’s primary sponsor, at a committee hearing in February. “What we really want to do is make sure that the programs we have in our communities around public safety include a larger definition of public safety.”

$100M plan for police hiring gets greenlight from Washington House

After some amendments, the bill attracted bipartisan support in the Senate, passing 30-19. Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Spokane, a retired police officer who sponsored an alternative bill, called it not a solution but a start. He credited Ferguson for championing police hiring.

“I am tickled Gov. Ferguson is paying attention to this,” Holy said before the Senate vote. “He’s actually paying attention to the priorities of government, finally someone is able to work with us on the things that some of us just find bread and butter, [which] are so necessary.”

But both Democrats and Republicans were torn.

Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, said the new local sales tax presented a conundrum.

“We need this infusion of public safety, we’re so far behind,” he said. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to vote no because I believe we should be doing this without the tax increase.”

Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, supported the bill and said the last six months already show the state’s public safety picture improving.

“Violent crime has been down in our state 30%; property crime has been down 25%; Auto theft has been down 30 percent,” he said.

Lovick added that 300 peace officers are currently in training across the state’s five police academies.

Clark County officials warn more police in Vancouver could lead to budget crunch

King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall testified in favor of the police hiring grants and a spokesperson said she continues to support the legislation.

The Washington State Fraternal Order of Police issued a statement in strong support of the legislation, saying it “reinforces trust and confidence between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

The FOP said requiring grant recipients to comply with training and policy standards set by the state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission will promote accountability and improve “law enforcement quality.” The group also said the local sales tax option “empowers communities to create tailored public safety strategies and ensures continued funding for local criminal justice systems.”

Meanwhile, the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, which has long highlighted that Washington has the lowest police staffing per capita in the nation, expressed more concerns while supporting the legislation overall.

In an April 15 letter, leadership of the association said the grant scheme in HB 2015 could prove “cumbersome” and “unworkable,” and expressed worry that the bill in its current form could channel funds into bureaucracy rather than adding officers on the street.

But in an update on April 17, the organization expressed hope that Senate amendments have addressed key concerns. In a statement, Executive Director Steve Strachan said, “We hope the measure that goes to the governor addresses our concern that the grant process be equally accessible to smaller and rural agencies as it will be to well-resourced larger agencies.”

HB 2015 now returns to the state House. In a press conference held by Republican leaders on April 17, Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, the deputy minority leader, said the state should find the $100 million for police hiring, rather than imposing the “strings and caveats” of the local sales tax requirement.

Corry also said lawmakers should apologize to Washington residents for the crime rates of the last few years.

“It should be a, ‘Hey, sorry we really messed up and we put you in some bad spots so here’s some money to help us get back on the right track,’ instead of saying, ‘Look, you want it you can tax yourself to do it,’” he said. “I think it’s just indicative of the mentality here in Olympia right now.”

The governor’s office did not respond to KUOW’s request for comment. The legislative session adjourns on April 27.

Amy Radil is a reporter with KLCC. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.

It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/04/19/washington-policing-hiring-bill/