Law enforcement representatives, organizations and concerned individuals testified against House Bill 1512 before the House Community Safety Committee on Feb. 10. Similar opposition to previous versions of this bill has been voiced in past sessions.
HB 1512 imposes extensive restrictions on traffic stops, adding procedural, training and reporting burdens while limiting permissible questioning. This approach will reduce law enforcement’s effectiveness, despite community calls for more visible traffic enforcement.
Traffic stops promote compliance and are crucial for public safety. They help identify impaired drivers, stolen vehicles, illegal firearms and individuals with warrants while deterring unsafe driving.
Limiting stops weakens law enforcement’s ability to ensure safety, implying that traffic laws are not truly enforceable. Officers must be able to stop suspended drivers, expired registrations and vehicles with safety issues. Restricting these efforts hinders crime prevention and traffic safety at a time when our residents want public safety.
The intention of the bill appears to make traffic stops so legally risky and cumbersome that they simply do not occur at all. Which, at the end of the day, discourages the police from proactive law enforcement.
We urge legislators to reject HB 1512 now (and in future sessions) and work to preserve public safety and effective law enforcement.
Brian Smith
Port Angeles Police Chief
Brian King
Clallam County Sheriff