Washington § 43.101.205 - Training on interaction with persons with substance use disorders.

(1) Beginning July 1, 2022, all law enforcement personnel required to complete basic law enforcement training under RCW 43.101.200 must receive training on law enforcement interaction with persons with substance use disorders, including persons with co-occurring substance use disorders and mental health conditions, and referral to treatment and recovery services and the unique referral processes for youth, as part of the basic law enforcement training. The training must be developed by the commission in collaboration with the University of Washington behavioral health institute and agencies that have expertise in the area of working with persons with substance use disorders, including law enforcement diversion of such individuals to community-based care. In developing the training, the commission must also examine existing courses certified by the commission that relate to persons with a substance use disorder, and should draw on existing training partnerships with the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs.

(2) The training must consist of classroom instruction or internet instruction and shall replicate likely field situations to the maximum extent possible. The training should include, at a minimum, core instruction in all of the following:

(a) Proper procedures for referring persons to the recovery navigator program in accordance with RCW 71.24.115;

(b) The etiology of substance use disorders, including the role of trauma;

(c) Barriers to treatment engagement experienced by many with such disorders who have contact with the legal system;

(d) How to identify indicators of substance use disorder and how to respond appropriately in a variety of common situations;

(e) Conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques for potentially dangerous situations involving persons with a substance use disorder;

(f) Appropriate language usage when interacting with persons with a substance use disorder;

(g) Alternatives to lethal force when interacting with potentially dangerous persons with a substance use disorder;

(h) The principles of recovery and the multiple pathways to recovery; and

(i) Community and state resources available to serve persons with substance use disorders and how these resources can be best used by law enforcement to support persons with a substance use disorder in their communities.

(3) In addition to incorporation into the basic law enforcement training under RCW 43.101.200, training must be made available to law enforcement agencies, through electronic means, for use during in-service training.

Effective date—2021 c 311 ss 1-11 and 13-21: See note following RCW 71.24.115.