Law Enforcement

A safe community is a strong community and ensuring that our local law enforcement agencies have the tools and resources they need will continue to be a top priority of mine in Congress. In our District, Federal Way Police Department has previously received funding from the Department of Justice COPS Hiring Program to preserve law enforcement jobs in an effort to increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

At the Federal level, I have also worked with my colleagues in the Washington delegation to improve information sharing between local, state, and federal law enforcement across the country by introducing H.R. 817, the Department of Justice Global Advisory Committee Authorization Act. This bill would require that the Attorney General reviews information sharing between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies and issues a report to Congress highlight recommendations to improve data interoperability and information sharing policies.

While it is important that we provide the resources and training that are necessary for our law enforcement, it is also important that we hold them accountable for proper use of law enforcement. A recent federal civil-rights investigation into the Seattle Police Department found routine and widespread use of excessive force and biased policing.  The United States and the City of Seattle have entered since into a Memorandum of Understanding with the goal of ensuring that police services are delivered to the people of Seattle in a manner that fully complies with the Constitution and the laws of the United States. I will continue to closely monitor this issue as it is of utmost importance that our communities can trust their local law enforcement officials and that our citizens have access to a fair legal system.

Marijuana

The State of Washington recently passed I-502, which legalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana and authorized the Washington State Liquor Control Board to write the rules and implementation details of the new system. However, while it is legal to possess and use a limited quantity of marijuana under state law, marijuana remains an illegal substance under federal statutes.  I am deeply concerned about the conflicts between federal and state law. That is why  I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1523, the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013, which would amend the Controlled Substances Act to prevent its application to individuals acting in compliance with state laws on the production, possession, distribution, and administration of marijuana. I am committed to protecting the rights of residents in Washington State, and am looking at any avenue to ensure legal clarity when it comes to recreational marijuana use.  This includes working with the federal agencies responsible for enforcing federal law and evaluating legislative changes to federal statutes to respect the new state law.

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