Seattle (March 8) – Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan released the following statement after the passage of I-940 as well as the bill making modifying provisions:
“The passage of Initiative 940 is a strong step forward for our state. Community members, including those who have lost loved ones, and police officers came together with legislators to pass a measure that will enhance community trust and increase accountability. Initiative 940 continues the work we are doing in Seattle and in partnership with the state police academy to develop officers as guardians, not warriors.
“Requiring de-escalation and new crisis intervention approaches for all Washington police officers will save lives and improve officer safety. As we have seen in Seattle, mental health training will lead to better results for those in crisis in our communities. This new law will give skills to all officers and reduce the interactions that erode faith in those charged with keeping us safe. I am grateful for the activism and partnership that got us here.”