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. Our Office continues to conduct these audits to ensure compliance with accountability rules established by voter-approved Initiative 940 and the Legislature.
In December 2024, we released a report summarizing common areas of noncompliance and recommendations from the second full year of these audits. Read the report here: Use of Deadly Force Investigation Audits: 2024 Year-End Report (PDF).
Search Use of Deadly Force Audit Reports
Key components of an investigation
These investigations, conducted by an independent investigation team known as an IIT, may include multiple steps. They include: gathering evidence; reviewing results of an autopsy; and reviewing results of crime lab reports. Completing investigations may be delayed because of backlogs at crime labs.
What our audits will examine
We will evaluate four aspects of each investigation: Was it credible? Was it independent? Was it transparent? Was it communicated to the public and affected people? To determine this, we will compare the steps taken by the involved law enforcement agencies and the IITs to the standards set by the state Criminal Justice Training Commission.
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)
Our work will 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.
When law enforcement personnel use deadly force, a series of outside reviews takes place. This infographic describes the steps leading to an audit.
Audits of IIT-related requirements
We will also be evaluating 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 will publish separate reports summarizing our assessments of these requirements.
A note on City of Seattle use of force incidents
The law requiring independent investigations excludes any law enforcement agencies under federal consent decree or court orders. For this reason, we will not be auditing use of deadly force investigations involving the City of Seattle Police Department.