Kittitas League

Let’s Talk Ballot Initiatives!

cops1Initiative 940 – De-escalate Washington

This measure would require law enforcement employees receive training in:

  • violence de-escalation,
  • mental-health, and
  • first-aid

And to provide first-aid. It would also change standards for use of deadly force, adding a “good faith” standard and independent investigation. If passed, it would amend the state’s deadly force law which currently makes it virtually impossible to charge police over custody deaths. The League supports passage of this Initiative.

In response to this initiative, the state legislature could have let the initiative go to the voters without taking any other action. Instead, they passed ESHB3003, a compromise version of the initiative.

After a court challenge, on August 28 the State Supreme Court ruled that I-940 must appear on the November ballot. At the same time, the Court ruled that ESHB 3003 was not passed as an alternative to the initiative.

The League of Women Voters position on social justice in general and De-Escalate Washington in particular can be found here. Please go to our 2018 Ballot page and read/follow all the links for more info on this important chance to reduce violence, especially in communities of color.