Earlier this year the Washington State Attorney General’s Office (‘AG’) issued a model policy for use of force. The stated intention of the policy is to promote greater safety for peace officers and the public by ensuring that officers use reasonable care when determining whether to use physical force or deadly force. Use-of-force policies are rules governing when law enforcement may use physical force as well as the type and amount of force used. Law enforcement personnel will be required to use all available and appropriate de-escalation tactics prior to using physical force when possible, use the least amount of physical force necessary to overcome resistance under the circumstances, and terminate the physical force as soon as the necessity for it ends. Washington law enforcement agencies must either adopt the AG’s model policy, or adopt their own policy consistent with the AG’s, no later than December 1, 2022. Consistent with the legislative directive, the model use-of-force policy applies to all peace officers in Washington. The AG must publish on its website whether agencies adopted use-of-force policies consistent with the model policy, or whether they departed from the model policies, and their reasons for departure by December 31, 2022. It will be interesting to see how Washington law enforcement agencies implement this new directive.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you, and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties, and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer. SQ Attorneys can be reached at (425) 359-3791 and/or (206) 441-0900.
