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Rep. Burnett defends patrol-training rollout after low compliance report
Summary
At an Eastside forum, Rep. Burnett said an 18-month rollout lag, certification requirements and resource gaps explain early low compliance with new patrol training; lawmakers urged state support for smaller agencies to meet the 2028–29 training requirement.
At a Bellevue College forum, Representative Burnett addressed a recent finding that only 16% of officers had completed a required patrol training curriculum after Initiative 940 and described why compliance lagged and how it can be remedied.
Burnett said the training rollout included an initial lag of about "18 months" and described a layered certification system: an 80-hour master-instructor program, 24 hours of required in-person hands-on training and 16 hours of online follow-up. He said those requirements, plus resistance from some agency leaders early in the rollout, produced the low early compliance numbers but that he believes the rates have improved since then.
"There was a lag time of about 18 months that played a portion of that," Burnett said, describing how regional training centers and master instructors were deployed to reduce the burden on smaller agencies.
Other panelists agreed Washington's training standards are nationally strong but noted resource constraints for small departments. Brett Goodman said he found some OFM errors troubling but agreed the training program in the state has been a national leader and that smaller agencies will need financial and logistical help to meet the 2028–29 statutory deadline when full compliance is required.
Panelists emphasized the state must continue to promote the training, clarify requirements and provide funding or shared regional training capacity so smaller agencies can meet the statutory timeline. The forum did not record a formal legislative vote but recommended follow-up on resourcing and agency implementation.
