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Debate: Should Washington voters change the state's deadly force law?

caption: Who decides if lethal force was justified?
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Who decides if lethal force was justified?

Should Washington state change the law and change the training around police officer's use of deadly force? Voters will decide this November with a vote on I-940.

When a police officer kills someone, how do we know whether they acted illegally? Do prosecutors have to prove they had malicious intent? Or just that a reasonable officer would have acted differently?

Ballot Initiative Debate 940 - Police Use of Force

I-940 would change Washington state law so prosecutors would no longer have to prove a police officer acted with "malice" in order to charge that officer over their use of deadly force. It would also require officers get de-escalation and mental health training. We talk with Monisha Harrell from De-Escalate Washington in favor of I-940 and Teresa Taylor from the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, who opposes the measure.

We talk with Monisha Harrell from De-Escalate Washington about why she supports I-940 and Teresa Taylor from the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs about why she wants voters to vote no on I-940.

KUOW's Amy Radil also joins the conversation to explain how the initiative made its way to the ballot.

Why you can trust KUOW