(The Center Square) – Legislation that would give a state board the power to remove an elected sheriff cleared out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee Monday on a party line vote with no Republicans in support.
Senate Bill 5974 would allow a state oversight board to remove a sitting sheriff if their peace officer certification is revoked.
Supporters of the bill say the changes are needed to strengthen public trust.
Opponents of the bill including Mason County Sheriff Ryan Spurling say the bill hands removal power to an unelected board and undermines the will of voters who elect sheriffs in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties.
Currently only King County has an appointed sheriff.
As reported by The Center Square, voters approved a change to the King County Charter in 2020 that made the King County sheriff position an appointed position instead of an elected position.
Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, who served more than 30 years with Washington State Patrol, is the prime sponsor of SB 5974.
“Since all peace officers must maintain a certification, these laws need to be updated to make clear what occurs when a law enforcement leaders’ certification is revoked for misconduct,” said Lovick during the bill hearing. “I hope the outstanding law enforcement leaders in our state will support this legislation. Great leaders lead by example. They embody the standards of accountability that they expect from their subordinates.”
Spurling told The Center Square elected sheriffs already undergo extensive background checks that include psychological examinations.
“The biggest thing that we’re concerned about is the authority of the local voters to pick their sheriffs,” said Spurling. “A lot of people are bringing up that sheriffs are afraid of qualifications or backgrounds. Every single sheriff in the state of Washington is accredited or certified, through CJTC [Criminal Justice Training Commission]. “If we don’t have good, strong accountability within law enforcement, we draw the wrong person, and we don’t want the wrong people in our profession,” he said.
Spurling said his main objection to the bill is with undermining the will of voters.
“Sheriffs are different than chiefs of police. Chiefs of police work for an elected official. The head of the state patrol works for the governor, who is a politician. The sheriff is the elected official that answers directly to their citizens and represents their constituency. If that is taken away, the local voice is no longer going to be in law enforcement. It’s going to be through another politician,” he said.
Spurling was told the legislation is motivated by the “defund the police” movement from five years ago.
“I’m part of the Washington State Sheriff’s Association, and we met with Representative Goodman and Senator Lovick on two different occasions, and they said this is the last piece of legislation that the Coalition for Police Accountability in 2021 wanted to push through,” Spurling said.
Every Democrat on the Senate Ways and Means Committee voted in support of the bill, and every Republican voted against it during Monday’s executive action.
If it passes on the full Senate floor and clears the House and is then signed into law, lawmakers say the changes would be in place before the 2026 sheriff elections.
