OLYMPIA, Wash. — Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said it has been a frustrating two years for law enforcement. He is eager to allow his deputies to chase after criminals again as long as it is deemed safe.
“That discretion needs to lie with the deputy who we have hired to make that decision,” said Sanders.
He blamed an increase in crime, especially property crimes like car theft, on restrictions placed on law enforcement by state lawmakers in 2021.
“We have created and fostered a mentality in this state that almost included fleeing from the police as part of the crime itself,” said Sanders.
State legislators limited pursuits to crimes involving suspected drunk drivers, escapees, or those wanted for sexual or violent crimes.
Initiative 2113 allows for police pursuits whenever any law has been broken, as long as a supervisor determines it is safe for the officer to do so.
The new law goes into effect in early June.
KING 5 News contacted more than a dozen sheriff’s offices and police departments to inquire about potential policy changes that would result from the initiative's passing.
The sheriffs of Grays Harbor and Mason counties, as well as Centralia’s police chief, plan to resume pursuits of those suspected of property crimes in June.
A Kitsap County spokesperson said pursuit decisions will be made on a “case-by-case basis, using the state guidelines and internal policy.”
Bellevue police will not change their policies, according to a spokesperson.
Spokespeople for the sheriffs of King and Pierce counties said the agencies are reviewing police pursuit policies.
Leslie Cushman from the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability helped get the pursuit restrictions passed in 2021.
”We expect to see more injuries, more deaths, more collateral damage,” said Cushman.
She said she is requesting the legislature pay for a study into the impact of police pursuits.
Cushman hopes agencies might establish more restrictions in the coming years.
“This is a leadership issue and each law enforcement agency can make course corrections, so if it’s not working, they can fix it. And they are the ones who are going to be accountable,” said Cushman.