Criminal Justice Training Commission briefs senators on officer certification, distinctions between commissions and certifications
Summary
The Criminal Justice Training Commission explained which officers must hold state certification, how certification differs from agency commission, and rules for lapses and reentry to service.
The Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) briefed the Senate Law and Justice Committee on current state law governing law-enforcement certification and the process for decertification.
Monica Alexander, executive director of the CJTC, explained that certification is a state-granted credential that allows an officer to transfer between agencies and remains in effect unless it lapses for a break in service. "A certified officer in the state of Washington is an officer that has completed a background check and mandated training and been granted a license by the Commission to serve as a peace, tribal limited authority or corrections officer," Kimberly Bliss, assistant director for certification, said in a companion statement. Alexander noted that commission and certification are distinct: a commission is an appointing-authority power granted by an officer's employer and ends upon separation; certification is the state credential enabling lateral movement between agencies.
Alexander reviewed who must be certified under current law: General Authority Washington Peace Officers, corrections officers other than the State Department of Corrections, and limited-authority officers who carry a weapon and have arrest powers. She said tribal peace officers are eligible but not required to be certified unless a tribe requests a memorandum of understanding with the state.
Certification timelines and lapse rules were summarized: certification can lapse after a break in service of 24 months, requiring additional training to reinstate; a break in service of 60 months requires return to the full basic academy, Alexander said. The commission also last session received statutory clarity, she said, when legislators added a definition of certification to statute (Alexander thanked Senator Lubbock for sponsoring the measure), noting the agency appreciated the statutory update.
Discussion vs. direction vs. decision: The briefing was informational; it clarified existing statute and CJTC practice. No committee action or rule change occurred during the hearing.
Ending: Senators and CJTC staff agreed the commission would provide any requested follow-up materials and data related to certification and decertification processes.
