SAO conducts new audits of local agency compliance with requirements to report police officer misconduct

The Office of the Washington State Auditor is conducting new “police training and certification audits” to determine if law enforcement agencies fully comply with officer conduct reporting requirements.  

State law requires police agencies to notify the state Criminal Justice Training Commission when any of their officers are charged with a crime, face serious disciplinary decisions or are involved in the use of deadly force. The reporting law is intended to ensure the Commission is aware of police or corrections officers who have engaged in conduct that could lead to their suspension or decertification.  

Officers who are decertified for misconduct cannot be employed at any law enforcement agency in Washington, even if they quit before an investigation is complete.  

The Commission requested this new type of report, which is performed by the same team of auditors who review investigations into police use of deadly force.  

“Ultimately, these certification audits will assist in ensuring that law enforcement agencies are reporting serious misconduct by officers, as the CJTC requires,” said State Auditor Pat McCarthy. “This work is in keeping with the spirit of accountability and transparency, providing clarity with the goal of building trust in our system of police officer certification.”   

The State Auditor’s Office has completed reviews of two agencies’ compliance with the officer conduct reporting law during 2022 and 2023. 

An audit of the Des Moines Police Department published today (PDF) found the Department sustained four misconduct allegations against officers, but did not report three of them to the Commission. The Department notified the Commission of all eight officers who left employment during the audit period, but it sent four notifications after a 15-day deadline. 

The other audit found the Renton Police Department (PDF) notified the Commission of all 24 officers who left the Department during the audit period but sent two notifications after the 15-day deadline. The Department also did not inform the Commission about a use of force incident that occurred in 2022 until after the Department became aware of the audit and reviewed state notification requirements. 

A page with more information about police training and certification audits can be found on the State Auditor’s Office Website: About Police Training and Certification Audits | Office of the Washington State Auditor 

Media questions: Assistant Director of Communications Adam Wilson, Adam.Wilson@sao.wa.gov, 564-999-0799