Christine Gregoire became the State’s 22nd Governor on January 12, 2005. The 105-day regular session adjourned “sine die” on April 24th, 2005. The 2005 legislative session proceeded, while the contested election of Governor Christine Gregoire (by just 129 votes) was in the courts. On June 6, Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges denied Republican claims that election errors, illegal voters and fraud stole the election form GOP candidate Dino Rossi and upheld the election of Governor Gregoire. Governor Gregoire signed a record number of bills (516) by the end of the 2005 session. LEIRA’s Legislative Committee continues to partner with WASPC’s Legislative Committee in a collaborative effort to ensure both sworn and civilian law enforcement is represented in the legislative arena. As LEIRA’s Legislative Chair, I attend all WASPC Legislative meetings, conferences and testify during session before legislators/respective committee hearings on behalf of LEIRA and WASPC. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kelly Donnelly, Mercer Island Police Department for spearheading HB1350 with our property and evidence personnel. Kelly contacted State Representative, Judy Clibborn of the 41st Legislative District to serve as the sponsor for HB1350, which would authorize the donation of unclaimed personal property to non-profit organizations. On January 24, 2005, Kelly Donnelly, Julie Stuvland (Monroe Police), Ken Christensen (SCSO), Susan Holaday (Tukwila Police) Patricia Duemmell (Marysville Police) and myself attended the House Local Government Committee on behalf of HB 1350. Kelly and Julie testified before the committee on behalf of property and evidence, while I testified as LEIRA’s Legislative Chair and confirmed WASPC’s support. HB 1350 made it to the Senate Rules Committee, however, did not come to a vote on the Senate Floor this year. Representative Clibborn will ask next year to have it pulled from Rules to the Floor, so there is still hope that we can get this past passed into law in 2006. It is not uncommon for a bill to take a couple years, or more to go all the way through the legislative process. HB 1350 had no opposition, and the chances of getting it through next session are very good. A great example of WASPC and LEIRA’s Legislative Committee’s working together! I attended WASPC’s Spring Conference May 23 – 26, 2005 at the Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel. The WASPC ‘s Legislative Committee was held on May 23, 2005 and WASPC’s Legislative Liaison James McMahan gave an overview of the 2005 session to our legislative committee. Most specific to LEIRA’s membership was the discussion regarding law enforcements ever increasing impacts relating to the Attorney General's Opinion RE: Guillen v. Pierce County and the release of traffic collision reports. NOTE: During WASPC’s March 22, 2005 Legislative Committee meeting, Washington State Patrol Captain Jeff DeVere advised his office was planning to approach the Attorney Generals Office regarding their opinion RE: Guillen v. Pierce County. At WASPC I asked Captain DeVere if his office had the opportunity to contact the Attorney General’s Office to date. Captain DeVere referred me to Ms. Gretchen Dolan, their Public Disclosure Section Manager, response included. I contacted Ms. Gretchen Dolan on June 6, 2005 and learned Ms. Dolan was told by Attorney General Rob McKenna the previous week that while his office takes a pro-release stance on records, he shares their concerns over the use of collision reports for commercial gain. Ms. Dolan was also told recently that State Representative Toby Nixon is on board with trying to pass legislation that disallows the use of these records for commercial profit, just as the PDA currently disallows the use of “lists of individuals” for commercial gain. WSP’s position is that based on Guillen and the Attorney Generals opinion, collision reports completed by the officers is disclosable under the PDA. WSP redacts only dates of birth and driver’s license numbers using 42.17.310(1)(d) as defined by 42.17.255. Ms. Dolan advised she is aware some law enforcement agencies redact all driver and vehicle information under the Department of Licensing statutes. After conversing with the Department of Licensing’s legal counsel and their Records Officer, WSP did not feel that those statutes specifically enough applied to the information on collision reports and therefore don’t redact using them. Ms. Dolan stated she understands that some law enforcement agencies that have gotten requests from Capital Publishing used the provisions of 42.17.330 to notify all the affected people of the pending requests. Capital Publishing began getting a lot of angry phone calls from those individuals. The notice process also delayed the release to Capital, which made the reports less useful to them. They have not made any more requests to that particular agency. Ms. Dolan advised WSP too is feeling a massive impact from law firms, chiropractors and the like making repeated and huge requests for bulk collision reports with the intention of gaining clients or otherwise profiting from them. WSP is firmly behind a statutory change, in whatever form, to make these records less available to those with commercial gain in mind. Our chiefs and sheriffs are aware of the increasing demands on their support staff and share our concerns regarding the volume and the sensitive information being released which is linked to traffic collision reports. WASPC’s Legislative Committee was tasked with being prepared to approach this issue when the 2006 session begins. Capt. Jeff DeVere and James McMahan are working to put together a meeting with WSP, DOT, WASPC and others who are involved in this issue, and I will be attending these meetings and report to our LEIRA memberships accordingly. On February 2, 2006 WASPC’s Legislative Committee will join the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (WAPA) in hosting a Law and Justice Day at the Legislature during the 2006 session. As a member of WASPC’s Legislative Committee and LEIRA’s Legislative Chair I will be attending the Law and Justice Day and will report back to our membership. I continue to Co-Chair WASPC’s Firearms Law Review Committee with Chief Glenn Dunnam, Retired. Our committee consists of representatives from WASPC, Department of Licensing, Attorney General’s Office, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Steve Perry, Barb Bader, National Rifle Association, FBI, Department of Social and Health Services, Department of Justice, etc. Unfortunately, our committee was unable to get any legislative changes this year, however, the committee will actively pursue during the 2006 Legislative session. I enjoy serving as LEIRA’s Legislative Chair and look forward to another busy and exciting legislative session in 2006.

Training Committee Report
by
Erin Kelly
Mountlake Terrace Police Department
(425) 670-8260
ekelly@ci.mlt.wa.us

Now that the Spring Conference in Walla Walla is over I want to say thank you again to the Executive Board members who were willing and able to bring projectors and audio visual equipment. These items cost quite a bit of money when rented from the hotel so you saved us money.

The class size caps did not really work well and we need to think about how to keep class sizes reasonable so we don’t have 90 people in one class.

I have a tentative schedule for the Grays Harbor/Ocean Shores conference. Everything looks pretty good although I don’t have instructors in mind for all of the classes yet. I need instructor ideas for the JIS/SCOMIS class and Performance Evaluations. The property classes may need a little bit of tweaking as well. There was a request to use Jeffrey Myers from Law, Lyman, et al. to teach the Introduction to Disclosure class. Sheila will continue to teach the Advanced Dissemination and Redaction Workshop. The other classes they are offering are Property and Evidence Room Management, Releasing Firearms from the Property Room, Leadership in Police Organizations, Preparing for Accreditation, Coaching as a Managing Tool, UCR, Civil Processes, Workplace Safety and The Magic to Balancing Stress.

I am soliciting ideas for the Spring Conference in 2009. I would like to see some new class ideas or classes that we have not had in the past couple of years for the Executive Board sponsored conference. Please send me any class ideas or instructors that you can think of for our conference.

Nominating Committee Report
by

Elected Executive Board Positions

President - one year term Expires Fall 2008*

1st Vice President – one year term Expires Fall 2008*

2nd Vice President – one year term Expires Fall 2008*

Secretary – one year term Expires Fall 2008*

Treasurer – two year term Expires Fall 2009*

Director 1 & 2 -two year term Expires Fall 2008

Director 3 - two year term Expires Fall 2009

*Denotes that the individual currently serving is eligible to run for an additional term if they so desire.

Please notify the Past President prior to the summer meeting if you intend to run for an additional term to allow ample time to solicit candidates for fall election.

 

 

Property and Evidence Committee Report 4/14/08
by
Kelly Donnelly
Mercer Island Police Department
(206) 275-7931
Kelly.Donnelly@mercergov.org

Our Group Email Network has continued to increase through inquiries directed to LEIRA. We have been able to reach out to agencies throughout the state to participate in our “network of information” that is specific to our jobs.

Our email group now consists of 132 individuals which comprise 90 agencies – up from 2007. Over the last several months, the topics of information and resources that were shared covered the following:

1. Personal assistance to very small agencies with limited budget – i.e. Tribal Police with no electronic evidence tracking program
2. Updated contact Lists for tracing computers/MP3 players
3. Bulk marijuana storage
4. Evidence retained by Superior Courts
5. Sharing of Job Postings
6. Air Quality Testing
7. Biohazard disposal
8. Resources for temporary lockers
9. Uniforms/clothing allowance
10. New policy for usage of Nucor Steel
11. Unclaimed property (examination of 63.29 and 63.32, 35 & 40)

I have spent time researching an existing “Certification Program” in other states for Property and Evidence technicians to uses as a model to develop one for this state. Oregon is also interested in putting together a similar program; however, there does not seem to be a program in place.

I have begun a list of potential topics that should be included for training under such a program and also some “test questions” that might be considered. Problematic is the issue of how and when training covering these topics would be offered. Because logistics have prevented an initial meeting to brainstorm ideas between the individuals who have expressed interest in working on this project, I am considering creating an email group to facilitate the exchange of ideas via email.

I am hoping to host a Regional Group meeting on Mercer Island before summer. I have identified a possible speaker for a presentation. I will be contacting the Exhibit Manager for the King County Superior Court to inquire about a presentation that pertains to physical evidence taken from our agencies as court exhibits and the procedures that the courts follow in disposal of exhibits. I am also still hoping to procure a speaker from the US Attorneys Office to discuss Federal Crimes that begin with local agencies and the corresponding physical evidence.

Sadly, our network has also been utilized to pass on the news of the unexpected passing of one of our own, Danny Armstrong, a long time Property and Evidence staff member at Bellevue PD who many of us had the pleasure of meeting and working with through our group. The reality of bonding together as a unit has now brought about the revelation that we must equally share grief and feel loss as we have shared the accomplishments of our efforts.

I hope everyone has a fruitful and fun experience at this Conference; unfortunately, I will be out of town and will not be able to attend this time. I’ll just have to have the pool girl get me another cocktail and try to get over not being there with you all.

I have begun a list of potential topics that should be included for training under such a program and also some “test questions” that might be considered. Problematic is the issue of how and when training covering these topics would be offered. Because logistics have prevented an initial meeting to brainstorm ideas between the individuals who have expressed interest in working on this project, I am considering creating an email group to facilitate the exchange of ideas via email. I am hoping to host a Regional Group meeting on Mercer Island before summer. I have identified a possible speaker for a presentation. I will be contacting the Exhibit Manager for the King County Superior Court to inquire about a presentation that pertains to physical evidence taken from our agencies as court exhibits and the procedures that the courts follow in disposal of exhibits. I am also still hoping to procure a speaker from the US Attorneys Office to discuss Federal Crimes that begin with local agencies and the corresponding physical evidence. Sadly, our network has also been utilized to pass on the news of the unexpected passing of one of our own, Danny Armstrong, a long time Property and Evidence staff member at Bellevue PD who many of us had the pleasure of meeting and working with through our group. The reality of bonding together as a unit has now brought about the revelation that we must equally share grief and feel loss as we have shared the accomplishments of our efforts. I hope everyone has a fruitful and fun experience at this Conference; unfortunately, I will be out of town and will not be able to attend this time. I’ll just have to have the pool girl get me another cocktail and try to get over not being there with you all.

Kelly