Council committee approves converting four transport positions to 'warrant officers' under proposed ordinance

Police Chief Kyle Sumpter asked the committee to approve an ordinance converting four existing transport officers into the new warrant officer classification authorized by recent Washington law changes; the committee voted to forward the ordinance to the June 17 consent agenda.

Sumpter said the city previously used limited-commission transport officers to move detainees after leaving the SCORE program in 2019. Changes in state law mean limited commissions are now restricted to certain agencies, so the state created a warrant officer position that municipalities must create by ordinance. "That position must be created by city council ordinance," Sumpter said. He told the committee staff drafted the ordinance by blending the current transport officer job description with the authorities articulated for warrant officers and does not anticipate new duties or pay changes.

Chief Sumpter said the department expects minimal expense limited to changing uniform shoulder patches — "a couple $100" — and that the warrant-officer training will be narrower and tailored to the authorities in the ordinance rather than full police academy training. Committee members asked whether the transport officers had previously been through the academy; Sumpter responded some employees have correctional or police experience and are trained and qualified on pistols, tasers and OC spray, but they do not perform investigations or respond to domestic-violence calls.

Council discussion also covered union status. Chief Sumpter said the transport officers are represented by PSSA and that their supervisor, the jail coordinator, is nonrepresented and would be converted under the limited-commission category.

The committee moved to forward the proposed ordinance to the June 17, 2025 consent agenda; the motion passed unanimously.