State of Accountability

We need to talk about Sheriffs. As elected officials, Sheriffs across the state have become highly political. And the only way to hold them to account is by initiating a recall.

Accountability is handled differently in every department. In this chapter, we'll examine two police departments and how their hiring processes and culture affect their workplace and accountability within.

Washington State's Criminal Justice Training Commission develops and monitors training officers receive. This chapter examines what that training looks like and how it's administered throughout an officer's career.

Throughout the summer of 2020, the nation heard names the names George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Locally, people chanted the names of Manny Ellis and Tommy Le. But there are also many, many more victims. This chapter is an introduction to why legislators were focused on police reform in 2021 and what it means when people talk about police accountability.

State of Accountability will examine the systems of police accountability as they exist in Washington state. We'll talk about modern policing, crisis training, accountability measures, and the legislation spawned by the 2020 protests. Through the words of activists, law enforcement, scholars, family members of victims of police violence, reporters, and legislators, we'll discuss accountability measures as they were in the summer of 2020, the legislation enacted to strengthen police accountability, and the gaps in accountability left unaddressed.