Washington’s much-hyped $100 million program to help cities and counties hire more police officers is still parked in neutral, months after lawmakers signed off on the cash. Not a single dollar has landed in local budgets. City officials and public-safety advocates describe the rollout as cumbersome and confusing, and many communities are still debating whether to adopt the new sales tax they must levy to qualify. With application windows now open and police training timelines stretching long into the future, smaller cities worry the money will show up too late to ease this year’s staffing crunch.
As reported by KUOW, the Criminal Justice Training Commission opened the first application round in January and will keep that window open through the end of March, with awards expected within weeks of the deadline. So far, just six police departments have applied, and no cities or counties have received any of the grant funds. The commission plans additional rounds, but early interest has been tepid.
Seattle moves ahead
Seattle, unsurprisingly, did not wait around. The City Council approved the 0.1 percent public-safety sales tax last fall, and the city expects roughly $39 million in new revenue this year to support crisis response and other public-safety programs. According to the Seattle City Council, the money is slated for a mix of behavioral-health co-responder teams and more traditional public-safety needs. Supporters say the tax gives Seattle a reliable local funding stream while it waits for the state grants to finally flow.
How the law works
House Bill 2015 created a three-year, $100 million grant pool and authorized a councilmanic 0.1 percent sales tax that local governments can impose without voter approval through mid 2028. As explained by the Association of Washington Cities, cities and counties must clear an extensive checklist of training, reporting, and policy requirements before they can collect the tax or tap into the grant dollars. The law also requires recipients to spend the grant funds by June 30, 2028, a deadline supporters say is meant to keep the program focused on short-term investment.
Why uptake has been slow
Local officials and stakeholders say that proving they meet all the new rules has become a major barrier. Gail Stone, the Criminal Justice Training Commission project director for the program, has described the verification process as “a very heavy lift.” Steve Strachan of the Washington Association for Sheriffs and Police Chiefs warned it could take as long as 18 months to move new officers through training and get them onto the street, according to the Washington State Standard. In other words, even once the money comes through, communities should not expect instant relief.
Small towns wait
In smaller cities, the hesitation is even more pronounced. Lynden officials say they want in on the program but need more certainty before adding to the payroll. The city began collecting the new tax on January 1 and told KUOW it will likely seek between $60,000 and $80,000 at first, focusing on training costs rather than jumping straight into paying new officer salaries. The Lynden Police Department currently has 19 commissioned officers, and local leaders say they would rather see stable, predictable revenue before committing to additional hires.
What comes next
The Criminal Justice Training Commission launched an online portal in January and says it will review applications quickly. Even so, city staffers still face a significant amount of paperwork to prove they qualify. The commission expects to decide on awards within weeks of the March deadline and to offer additional rounds as jurisdictions complete verification, the Washington State Standard reports.
Legal details to watch
Under the law, the Criminal Justice Training Commission has 45 days to flag any deficiencies after a jurisdiction submits its eligibility documentation, and cities then have 180 days to fix the problems. If a city continues collecting the tax but does not ultimately meet the requirements, the state treasurer may withhold $100,000 each month until the city is brought into compliance. The Association of Washington Cities has published a step-by-step guide for municipalities, and officials say those strict timelines are a key reason some councils are moving carefully instead of sprinting toward the new money.
