2018 Ballot Initiative Would Require All Washington Law Enforcement to Receive Violence De-escalation Training

Seattle, WA—The Alliance for Gun Responsibility announced its endorsement of Initiative 940, which would require all law enforcement officers in the state of Washington to receive violence de-escalation and mental health training, adhering to the standards set by the state criminal justice commission. The Alliance also donated $5,000 to the ballot initiative.

“Gun violence is a public health and safety issue that’s plaguing our communities, especially communities of color, who are disproportionately impacted by gun violence,” said Renée Hopkins, CEO of the Alliance for Gun Responsibility. “We must take a comprehensive, public health approach to reduce gun violence, and Initiative 940 is an important part of the equation. Data has shown de-escalation tactics to be effective across many different types of crisis situations. Implementing this training in a meaningful way will save lives and make our communities safer.”

Initiative 940 would also require law enforcement personnel to provide first-aid to save lives and require law enforcement agencies to adopt guidelines for implementing the de-escalation and mental health training. It would amend the standard for justifiable use of deadly force by law enforcement, including defining the “good faith” standard and requiring independent investigation.

“De-escalate Washington is about bringing all stakeholders to the table and giving them a voice in the conversation about how to make our communities safer,” said Riall Johnson, campaign manager for De-escalate Washington. “With this initiative, we have an opportunity to save lives, better equip our law enforcement officers who must respond to crisis situations every day, as well as help build trust between police and the communities they serve through increased transparency.”

To learn more about Initiative 940 and how to get involved, visit http://www.deescalatewa.org/.

About the Alliance for Gun Responsibility

The Alliance for Gun Responsibility works to end the gun violence crisis in our community and to promote a culture of gun ownership that balances rights with responsibilities. Through collaboration with experts, civic leaders, and citizens, we work to find evidenced-based solutions to the crisis of gun violence in our community. We create innovative policy, advocate for changes in laws, and promote community education to reduce gun violence. Learn more at www.gunresponsibility.org and follow us at @WAGunResponsib.

###