Floor debate on Amendment 1205 (Fund the police) to the 2022 supp. operating budget | Feb. 26, 2022

During the floor debate on the 2022 supplemental operating budget, Rep. Drew MacEwen introduced an amendment to allocate $100 million in unspent stimulus funds to fund the police.

- $5,000 signing and retention bonuses.

- $90,000 grants to local law enforcement agencies for body camera costs.

- Funding for 10 additional Basic Law Enforcement Academy classes in each fiscal year, for a total of 25 classes per year.

- $150,000 for a study and recommendations on police officer recruitment and retention efforts, police staffing levels and how those compare to recommended levels, how much is spent on policing in Washington as compared to other states, and how to address police recruitment and retention over the long term.

At a time when crime is rising and our state ranks last in the nation in terms of the number of police officers per thousand people, House Republicans believe we have to get serious about improving public safety in communities throughout Washington.