2022 Session Review: Reforming Police Reform

During the 2021 Session, the legislature enacted a suite of so-called police reform bills, the purpose of which, in part, was stated as establishing a uniform statewide standard for the use of force by peace officers. However, no sooner had the ink dried, particularly on E2SHB 1310 (Uses of Force) and ESHB 1054 (Tactics and Equipment), it became evident that rather than providing clarity to officers in the field, the opposite was true.