Police given more leeway to pursue suspects

OLYMPIA — After voters submitted an initiative rolling back some police pursuit regulations, the Legislature approved the measure.

As a result, new rules giving police more leeway to engage in high-speed pursuits become law June 5.

“The people of the state are suffering increasing rates of crime, property, crime, violent crime,” said Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen. “When I talked to cops and sheriff's deputies, they told me the one thing more than anything else that we need is the ability to chase bad people.”

In 2021, the Legislature restricted police pursuits, limiting them to when officers had...