Initiative 940 would require the establishment of a Criminal Justice Training Commission that would supposedly be comprised of persons familiar with the laws and regulations concerning the State of Washington, and apparently have an unlimited budget.

The “average” law enforcement officer earns approximately $33.61 per hour (straight time, not overtime) and, according to the initiative’s expenditure listing, almost 10,000 law enforcement personnel would need this training, which consists of 40 hours for each person, plus a 2-hour refresher course every year thereafter.

That is just for the training time. To meet these training requirements, the Commission”would need to hire a program manager, an administrative support staff (unspecified number) and special skills instructors (undetermined number). They would also need firearms simulators (unknown number, facility costs, and other unspecified equipment and supplies.

This alone should be enough to make one shudder at the utter waste. I don’t believe the people of Washington really want that kind of government boondoggle to come into existence, and am hoping that this one falls flat on its face.

This training could be handled by the staff that handles the required regular training for all law enforcement personnel in this state, without the creation of another costly appointed board that would not be answerable to the people of this state, but only to the bureaucratic establishment in Olympia.

Please, if you have not already voted, say “No” to Initiative 940.

Larry Wakefield

Aberdeen