Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders took to Facebook during the afternoon hours of Friday, Feb. 7, to thank Gov. Bob Ferguson and lawmakers working to solve “the very real issues” of public safety in Washington state.
His social media post came after Washington’s newly elected Democratic Gov. Ferguson vowed to veto any state budget bill that doesn’t include $100 million for hiring more cops.
While sharing an article by The Washington State Standard that was republished by The Chronicle, Sanders noted Ferguson’s vow has caused a number of lawmakers to question why the state should fund more police throughout Washington.
Specifically, Black members of the state Legislature have called for an equal amount of money to be dedicated to social services and other supportive programs.
“Here’s some light thoughts about our Legislature, police funding and why agencies across the state are still struggling to retain police officers and deputies even with large pay raises,” Sanders wrote. “The problem: WA state ranks 51/51 in police officers per capita. Dead last. Among other things, this means there’s nowhere else in the country where you’re less likely to see a police officer out on the roads per capita. We also have some of the worst crime stats in the country, particularly when it comes to auto theft — which is a strong factor in other crime rates — and fatal traffic crashes. It would cost more than $1 billion of ongoing investment to get us to the nationwide average of police officers. That’s nine zeroes.”
Sanders said the money doesn’t matter if the sentiment that lawmakers despise police continues to prevail. The sheriff said most police officers he talks to believe the majority of the state’s lawmakers don’t like them — but he does believe the sentiment is changing.
“Our legislature is made up of everyday people from various walks of life, and there of course are varying political opinions about police,” Sanders wrote. “But there is a concerning trend of fringe bills gaining significant traction every year in the capital. It started in 2021 when some of the worst bills imaginable somehow got enacted into law.”
Sanders added that these laws caused “real harm” in local communities — harm that still hasn’t healed. He referenced the Washington Traffic Safety Commission’s study from 2023, which showed a 33-year high in traffic deaths as 810 motorists lost their lives. He also referenced when lawmakers told police to use less lethal munitions more often, before they “accidentally banned them all.”
“Almost all of those laws have been repealed,” Sanders wrote. “The uncertainty police officers face every legislative session where the goal posts constantly shift will continue to cause vacancies and turnover. I spend a lot of my time calming staff down about this uncertainty while hoping to convince them to stay in the profession.”
Sanders, a former Louisianan, said there are deep-rooted issues in that state from blatant racism to “widespread corruption and systemic poverty.” He recalled a warehouse nicknamed the “Brave Cave” in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where police officers in the Louisiana city allegedly detained and tortured people to gain false confessions.
“The response from the Louisiana legislature? More cop-friendly bills. In fact, they’re currently in a court battle for a bill that was ruled unconstitutional that doesn’t allow citizens to come within 25 feet of a police officer without permission or else be jailed,” Sanders said.
“Washington is a stark difference. We lead the country with some of the most progressive training designed to help officers resolve issues utilizing the least amount of force necessary,” Sanders wrote. “We’ve embraced co-responder mental health programs designed to get mentally ill persons the resources they need and diverted from the criminal justice system when possible. We’ve created uniform mechanisms for decertifying bad police officers who commit qualifying misconduct. Nearly every agency across the state appears to be wearing body cameras to improve transparency.
“Every day I watch as police in our state de-escalate critical incidents that would almost certainly lead to shootings in other areas of the country with less training,” Sanders continued. “Despite these efforts, we often end up with the legislation I would expect Louisiana to be handing down. Bills that undermine public safety, embolden criminal activity, punish police officers trying to effectively do their job, and push good cops out of the state or into different professions.”
The sheriff presented what he described as good news, writing that he’s had a number of inspiring conversations with lawmakers recently in both Thurston County and throughout Washington state.
“The sentiment is beginning to change,” Sanders wrote. “ We need a healthy balance of accountability across the board, and that includes accountability for police as well. We also have to get to a point where police generally trust their lawmakers and vice versa.”
