Setting the standard for a unique type of audit
The Office of the Washington State Auditor was the first state auditor’s office in the nation to systematically review every local investigation into police use of deadly force, starting in the fall of 2022. Use of Deadly Force Investigation (UDFI) audits help ensure these investigations comply with accountability rules established by voter-approved Initiative 940 and the Legislature.
Conducted by an independent investigation team known as an IIT, use of deadly force investigations may include multiple steps such as gathering evidence, reviewing results of an autopsy, and reviewing results of crime lab reports.
Our UDFI audits do not determine whether the officers were justified in using force, nor whether prosecutors made the right choice to charge or not charge officers with a crime.
In early 2026, we released a report summarizing common areas of noncompliance and recommendations from the three full years these audits which can be found here: Use of Deadly Force Investigation Audits: 2025 Year-End Report (PDF).
Search Use of Deadly Force Audit Reports
What our audits examine
We evaluate four aspects of each investigation:
- Independence: The involved police agency cannot have undue influence or the appearance of undue influence on the investigation.
- Transparency: Community members can assess whether the investigation is conducted in a trustworthy manner and complies with the standards defined in state laws and rules.
- Communication: The independent investigation team must communicate the investigation’s progress to the public and family of the person killed or harmed by police use of deadly force.
- Credibility: Use of deadly force investigations follow best practices for criminal investigations, and investigators meet necessary training requirements and demonstrate ethical behavior and impartiality.
We compare the steps in these areas taken by the involved law enforcement agencies and the IITs to the standards set by the state Criminal Justice Training Commission.
We also evaluate the IITs’ compliance with requirements that can be completed outside of any particular use of force investigation. This review includes specific team-related requirements, such as the IIT’s processes for selecting and training investigators and other members. Our Office publishes separate reports summarizing our assessments of these requirements.
When law enforcement personnel use deadly force, a series of outside reviews takes place. This infographic describes the steps leading to an audit (text-only version also available).
Related UDFI links
Independent Investigation Requirements:
- State Rules – Effective January 2020 – January 2022 (PDF) »
- State Rules – Effective January 2022 – Present (PDF) »
- Investigation Best Practices – Effective September 2020 – September 2023
- Investigation Best Practices – Effective September 2023 – September 2024 (PDF)
- Investigation Best Practices – Effective September 2024 – Present (PDF)
Learn more in this episode of our podcast, The Aud Pod, in which two of our UDFI audit experts explain the principles behind these reports, what they reveal, and how they benefit Washingtonians.