Olympia police chief will give update on state’s new policing laws tonight

Olympia’s Ad Hoc Public Safety Committee will get on update on Washington’s new police reform laws and how they are being implemented by local law enforcement agencies at tonight’s meeting.

Legislators passed 12 police reform bills during the 2021 session. The bills included changes to police tactics, how mental health calls are handled, how officers can be certified and decertified, the use of civilian oversight boards to investigate use of force cases and more.

Olympia Police Department Interim Chief Aaron Jelcick will go over the bills and the changes they make to existing practices during the Ad Hoc Public Safety Committee’s meeting at 5:30 p.m.

According to a news release from the city, OPD already has several policies in place that align with the new laws, although other policies will need to be updated to comply with the new legislation. OPD will partner with neighboring jurisdictions’ law enforcement agencies to ensure the new laws are implemented properly, the release said.

Anyone interested in hearing Jelcick’s briefing can attend the committee’s Zoom meeting at 5:30 tonight using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85492876470