November 3, 2020 (Olympia, WA)

Having been asked by many of our members and others, the WAFOP issues the following statement on the current Team Blue initiative:

The Washington Fraternal Order of Police share Team Blue’s goal to ensure that law enforcement officers across Washington have the resources and tools they need to adequately protect the communities they serve.

However, this is the type of complex issue best resolved by the Legislature, where thoughtful deliberation and give-and-take among interested parties is more likely to result in a balanced path forward.

In contrast, a single-issue initiative would impose additional requirements on local governments that may not all be equipped to deal with them. Therefore, we believe that the legislative approach is the best way to find answers that work for our fellow officers, other stakeholders, and the public.

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