Washington has consistently ranked as the state with the lowest number of law enforcement officers per capita in the nation. However, new legislation could provide cities with a new revenue source to hire additional officers.

SB 5841, sponsored by Sens. Jeff Holy (R–Spokane) and John Braun (R–Centralia), would allow cities and counties to implement an additional sales tax to fund additional law enforcement officers. Under the bill, the tax could be implemented by the city council without the need of approval from the voters.

The one-tenth of one percent sales tax must be used for:

• Employing additional commissioned law enforcement officers; or
• If the jurisdiction already has more police per capita than the national average, the city must use the funds for criminal justice purposes.

In addition to this new tax, the bill requires the Criminal Justice Training Commission to hold at least 25 basic law enforcement training classes each fiscal year.

SB 5841 was referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee; however, it is being held in the Senate Law & Justice Committee for further legislative action.