The Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) briefed the Senate Law and Justice Committee on current state law governing law-enforcement certification and the process for decertification.

Monica Alexander, executive director of the CJTC, explained that certification is a state-granted credential that allows an officer to transfer between agencies and remains in effect unless it lapses for a break in service. "A certified officer in the state of Washington is an officer that has completed a background check and mandated training and been granted a license by the Commission to serve as a peace, tribal limited authority or corrections officer," Kimberly Bliss, assistant director for certification, said in a companion statement. Alexander noted that commission and certification are distinct: a commission is an appointing-authority power granted by an officer's employer and ends upon separation; certification is the state credential enabling lateral movement between agencies.

Alexander reviewed who must be certified under current law: General Authority Washington Peace Officers, corrections officers other than the State Department of Corrections, and limited-authority officers who carry a weapon and have arrest powers. She said tribal peace officers are eligible but not required to be certified unless a tribe requests a memorandum of understanding with the state.

Certification timelines and lapse rules were summarized: certification can lapse after a break in service of 24 months, requiring additional training to reinstate; a break in service of 60 months requires return to the full basic academy, Alexander said. The commission also last session received statutory clarity, she said, when legislators added a definition of certification to statute (Alexander thanked Senator Lubbock for sponsoring the measure), noting the agency appreciated the statutory update.

Discussion vs. direction vs. decision: The briefing was informational; it clarified existing statute and CJTC practice. No committee action or rule change occurred during the hearing.

Ending: Senators and CJTC staff agreed the commission would provide any requested follow-up materials and data related to certification and decertification processes.