(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, all law enforcement personnel, except volunteers, and reserve officers whether paid or unpaid, initially employed on or after January 1, 1978, shall engage in basic law enforcement training which complies with standards adopted by the commission pursuant to RCW 43.101.080. For personnel initially employed before January 1, 1990, such training shall be successfully completed during the first fifteen months of employment of such personnel unless otherwise extended or waived by the commission and shall be requisite to the continuation of such employment. Personnel initially employed on or after January 1, 1990, shall commence basic training during the first six months of employment unless the basic training requirement is otherwise waived or extended by the commission. Successful completion of basic training is requisite to the continuation of employment of such personnel initially employed on or after January 1, 1990.

(2)(a) All law enforcement personnel who are limited authority Washington peace officers and whose employment commences on or after July 1, 2023, shall commence basic training during the first 12 months of employment unless the basic training requirement is otherwise waived or extended by the commission. Successful completion of basic training is requisite to the continuation of employment of such personnel initially employed on or after July 1, 2023.

(b)(i) The commission shall review the training files of all law enforcement personnel who are limited authority Washington peace officers, whose employment commenced prior to July 1, 2023, and who have not successfully completed training that complies with standards adopted by the commission, to determine what, if any, supplemental training is required to appropriately carry out the officers' duties and responsibilities.

(ii) Nothing in this section may be interpreted to require law enforcement personnel who are limited authority Washington peace officers, whose employment commenced prior to July 1, 2023, to complete the basic law enforcement training academy as a condition of continuing employment as a limited authority Washington peace officer.

(iii) Law enforcement personnel who are limited authority Washington peace officers are not required to complete the basic law enforcement academy or an equivalent basic academy upon transferring to a general authority Washington law enforcement agency or limited authority Washington law enforcement agency, as defined in RCW 10.93.020, if they have:

(A) Been employed as a special agent with the Washington state gambling commission, been a natural resource investigator with the department of natural resources, been a liquor enforcement officer with the liquor and cannabis board, been an investigator with the office of the insurance commissioner, or been a park ranger with the Washington state parks and recreation commission, before or after July 1, 2023; and

(B) Received a certificate of successful completion from the basic law enforcement academy or the basic law enforcement equivalency academy and thereafter engaged in regular and commissioned law enforcement employment with an agency listed in (b)(iii)(A) of this subsection without a break or interruption in excess of 24 months; and

(C) Remained current with the in-service training requirements as adopted by the commission by rule.

(3) Except as provided in RCW 43.101.170, the commission shall provide the aforementioned training and shall have the sole authority to do so. The commission shall provide necessary facilities, supplies, materials, and the board and room of noncommuting attendees for seven days per week, except during the 2017-2019, 2019-2021, and 2021-2023 fiscal biennia, and during fiscal year 2024, when the employing, county, city, or state law enforcement agency shall reimburse the commission for twenty-five percent of the cost of training its personnel. Additionally, to the extent funds are provided for this purpose, the commission shall reimburse to participating law enforcement agencies with ten or less full-time commissioned patrol officers the cost of temporary replacement of each officer who is enrolled in basic law enforcement training: PROVIDED, That such reimbursement shall include only the actual cost of temporary replacement not to exceed the total amount of salary and benefits received by the replaced officer during his or her training period:

PROVIDED FURTHER, That limited authority Washington law enforcement agencies as defined in RCW 10.93.020 shall reimburse the commission for the full cost of training their personnel.

Effective date—2024 c 376: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 29, 2024]." [ 2024 c 376 s 914.]

Effective date—2023 c 475: See note following RCW 16.76.030.

Conflict with federal requirements—Effective date—2021 c 334: See notes following RCW 43.79.555.

Effective date—2019 c 415: See note following RCW 28B.20.476.

Effective date—2017 3rd sp.s. c 1: See note following RCW 43.41.455.

Effective dates—2015 3rd sp.s. c 4: See note following RCW 28B.15.069.

Effective dates—2013 2nd sp.s. c 4: See note following RCW 2.68.020.

Effective dates—2011 1st sp.s. c 50: See note following RCW 15.76.115.

Severability—1997 c 351: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1997 c 351 s 14.]

Effective date—1997 c 351: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [May 13, 1997]." [ 1997 c 351 s 15.]

Severability—Effective dates—1993 sp.s. c 24: See notes following RCW 28A.310.020.

Effective dates—1993 sp.s. c 21: See note following RCW 82.14.310.