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Cowlitz County commissioners, sheriff debate state change allowing some noncitizens to serve in law enforcement
Summary
County leaders and the sheriff debated a state law that allows certain noncitizens to be employed as law enforcement, raising questions about vetting, firearms access and local authority; no formal county action was taken.
COWLITZ COUNTY — Commissioners and the county sheriff spent a large portion of a Tuesday meeting debating a state law that allows some noncitizens to be employed as law enforcement, with officials raising concerns about vetting, firearms access and whether the county can bar the practice locally.
The discussion began when a commissioner raised recent legislative activity and constituent questions about a bill that would clarify which noncitizen classifications can be hired by law-enforcement agencies. Sheriff Brett Thurman told the board the underlying authority allowing certain noncitizens to be employed by law enforcement first went into effect in 2018 and has been amended in subsequent sessions.
“We have the civil service commission for the Sheriff's office,” Thurman…
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