Nov. 27, 2024
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) remains on track to begin actively responding to use of deadly force cases on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024.
OII announced in July that it would begin responding to active incidents in Southwest Washington and the Olympic Peninsula. This is a reminder of the approaching date when OII will begin active operations.
In order to manage its resources, OII is starting in phases. Of its six areas of operations, OII will start with “Region 1 - West,” which includes Thurston, Lewis, Mason, Clark, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Jefferson, Kitsap, Skamania, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum counties.
OII will begin by investigating only cases where a commissioned Washington law enforcement officer used deadly force that resulted in a death at the time of the incident.
Region 1-West will be led by a regional supervisor with extensive training and experience in use of force investigations. The team will include senior investigators with extensive homicide or use of force investigations training who will be paired with newly trained investigators participating in a field training program.
The agency will have a family liaison for each of its six regions who will provide ongoing communications with the family of the person killed and help connect them to available resources and support. There will also be community liaisons for Eastern and Western Washington who will serve a vital role in connecting with local communities across Washington State.
OII also has a Tribal Relations Program designed to build and maintain meaningful government to government relations with all of Washington’s sovereign tribes, ensuring tribal leaders and tribal police departments have information about cases OII is investigating that affect tribal members.
OII will expand into other regions as it hires more investigators and acquires the additional resources needed for an investigative team, from response vehicles to evidence storage facilities and other required tools. This phased approach allows the current staff to begin conducting investigations while OII hires and trains additional investigators.
Currently, OII has 26 investigators throughout the state, with 11 on the east side of the state and 15 on the west side. Several more are in the hiring process. OII estimates that 15-18 trained investigators are needed per region to quickly and effectively respond to a use of deadly force incident.
Those members of the team not responding in person will be available to provide support, which could include records searching, file review, or digital evidence management and examination, for example.
The next step of OII’s expansion will be determined once it is certain that the infrastructure and number of investigators available to a region will support an active response. OII will provide ample notice to the local community and law enforcement agencies before it responds to the first call in their area.
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The state Legislature created OII in 2021 to conduct independent and unbiased investigations of deadly use of force by law enforcement. OII is unique in the nation and has a civilian director. It works with an 11-member advisory board that reviews and provides input on agency policies.
For media inquiries contact Hector Castro, Director of Communications and Community Relations, at hector.castro@oii.wa.gov or 360-870-8115.