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Subjects › Public Safety › Police and law Enforcement › › Requirements and Options for Provision of Police & Law Enforcement Services in Cities and Towns
Updated 04/2012

Requirements and Options for Provision of Police & Law Enforcement Services in Cities and Towns

Contents

Introduction

State law does not contain many specific requirements regarding the level of law enforcement services to be provided by Washington cities and towns. This web page describes the authority and requirements for providing law enforcement services with links to the constitutional and statutory citations and a brief description of service delivery options, mutual aid agreements and links to pages detailing the relationship to the county sheriff.

Police and Law Enforcement Authority and Requirements

Code cities are required to appoint a chief law enforcement officer (RCW 35A.12.020). Towns are required to appoint a town marshal (RCW 35.27.070) and the town police department must be under the direction and control of the town marshal. Second class cities are required to appoint a police chief (RCW 35.23.021) and the city police department must be under the control and direction of the chief of police (subject to the direction of the mayor or city manager).

Neither the state constitution nor state law mandates a specific number of law enforcement officers or level of law enforcement services. This is primarily a policy decision for the city or town council or commission to determine.

If a city or town has more than two full-time law enforcement officers, including the chief of police, it is required by state law to establish a police civil service system, unless it has provided for civil service in the police department by a system which substantially accomplishes the purposes of the state provisions contained in Ch. 41.12 RCW. Those cities that have six or more full-time officers may exclude the police chief from civil service coverage and an additional number of positions depending on the total number of department personnel. RCW 41.12.050.

Peace Officer Certification

RCW 43.101.200(1) requires all newly hired peace officers, except volunteers, and reserve officers, to engage in basic law enforcement training which complies with the standards adopted by the Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC). Persons hired as peace officers have six months from the beginning of employment to commence basic law enforcement training. The CJTC web site includes a complete description of this requirement as well as Frequently Asked Questions.

Constitutional and Statutory Authority

  • Constitutional Authority
    • Article XI, §11, Washington State Constitution - General police power of cities.
  • Statutory Authority
    • Counties
    • First Class Cities
    • Second Class Cities
    • Towns
    • Code Cities
      • RCW 35A.11.020 - Specific power to adopt and enforce criminal ordinances of the city.
      • RCW 35A.12.020 - Appointive officers, including chief law enforcement officer.
      • RCW 35A.21.030 - Mandatory duties of code city officers.
      • RCW 35A.21.161 - Regulation of activities under state law.
    • Unclassified Cities
    • Other
      • RCW 10.92.020 - Tribal Police Officers - Powers -- Authority to act as general authority Washington peace officer -- Public liability and property damage insurance -- Training requirements -- Issuance of citation, notice of infraction, or incident report -- Jurisdiction -- Civil liability -- Sovereign tribal governments -- Interlocal agreement
      • RCW 14.08.120 (2) - Specific powers of municipalities operating airports (county, city, town, airport district, port district)
      • RCW 35.88.020 - Water Supply - Enforcement of Ordinances - Special Police (Note: This citation refers to the special police as having the powers of constables. The statutes relating to constables were repealed by Laws of 1984, ch. 258.)
      • RCW 53.08.280 - Port district operating an airport with a police department as authorized by RCW 14.08.120
      • RCW 35.61.370 - Metropolitan park district containing city with population over one hundred thousand -- May commission police officers
      • RCW 81.60 - Railroads - Railroad Police and Regulations

Service Delivery Options

A city or town may provide law enforcement protection in a number of different ways. One way is to establish a municipal police department under the direction of a locally appointed police chief or marshal. Another is to enter into a contractual arrangement with another jurisdiction to provide law enforcement services. Many cities and towns contract with the county for police services. A city or town can also contract with a neighboring city or town for police services. The level of service and cost must be negotiated between the jurisdictions. If a city or town contracts for police protection, then it is not necessary to appoint a city employee or officer to serve as chief law enforcement officer. Rather, one of the officers from the jurisdiction being contracted with can serve in that capacity.

Mutual Aid Agreements

The Interlocal Cooperation Act, Ch. 39.34 RCW, and the Washington Mutual Aid Peace Officers Powers Act, Ch. 10.93 RCW, authorizes for law enforcement agency to contract with any other law enforcement agency to provide mutual law enforcement assistance. Many municipalities enter into such contracts with other cities, the county, or the state patrol. Many jurisdictions in this state have such contracts to provide back-up assistance in emergency situations.

Relationship to County Sheriff