Senate unanimously passes Delvin bill to create crisis referral services for law enforcement

March 5, 2009

OLYMPIA…With Senate Bill 5131, former Richland police officer and state Sen. Jerome Delvin aims to give today’s law enforcement, corrections and safety personnel one key advantage he never had: Easier access to crisis recognition and intervention services.   

Passed unanimously today by the Senate, Delvin’s bill authorizes the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission to teach law enforcement and safety personnel how to recognize a personal crisis and obtain referrals for confidential sources of crisis intervention.  

“Police and safety personnel experience mental and emotional trauma the average person can hardly imagine,” Delvin said. “It is vital they have access to a listening ear, one they can trust not to tell their superior officers. Many times troubled officers don’t seek help for fear of losing their job. They need a confidential crisis referral service and that’s what my bill offers.”   

SB 5131 would give all law enforcement and safety personnel an hour’s training on recognizing underlying causes of personal crises, such as mental health issues, chemical dependency, domestic violence and financial problems. It would also offer a list of confidential crisis referral services. The CJTC would charge a small fee for the service to cover costs.   

“When I was on the force I saw seven dead bodies in one five-day period. All were heroin overdoses,” Delvin said. “That kind of horror can really mess with your mind. Thankfully, I had a friend who was a professional counselor and I was able to process it confidentially.  This bill would give every law enforcement, corrections and safety officer that same chance.” 

SB 5131 now goes to the House of Representatives. 

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Sen. Delvin represents the 8th Legislative District, which includes
Richland, Kennewick, Benton City, and Prosser.

Additional contact: Pat Albright at (360) 786-7519 or albright.pat@leg.wa.gov