Overview
Key Measurements and Statistics
Successes of 2019
The audit section conducted 17 required evidence room audits with 4 additional spot inspections. Eleven credit card audits and 10 required financial audits were also conducted. Audits areas also included: Overtime, Payroll, Cash receipting, Information Technology controls, and Asset Management.
Public Records
The Section is comprised of the agency Public Records Officer, the Disclosure Unit and the Video Unit. These units provide agency-wide records management strategies regarding dissemination, retention, destruction and maintenance of all agency records. WSP processed over 15,000 records requests in 2019, with the Section’s Public Disclosure Unit handling the vast majority of them. It is anticipated that total records released in 2020 will continue the established annual trend of increasing significantly.
The Video Unit additionally coordinates usage of the mobile dash-cameras in approximately 700 patrol vehicles and managed 857,652 videos in 2019.
Strategic Planning and Accountability
Lean methodology was used to build a comprehensive three-year Strategic Plan that aligns and influences agency culture, empowers employees, and increases overall effectiveness. It connects those closest to the work with organizational goals and outcomes. The Strategic Plan guides and informs risk management, operational planning, strategic advancement, and organizational accountability.
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) began its national accreditation journey in 1988 as the third state law enforcement agency in the nation to receive accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). CALEA Accreditation programs provide public safety agencies with an opportunity to voluntarily meet an established set of professional standards. In 2019, WSP committed to expanding its accreditation to include the Communications Division and Training Academy. WSP is continuously in the pursuit of excellence through annual reviews and other assessment measures.
Torts
Claims increased slightly over last year but remained under historic norms. Indemnity and defense payouts were the second lowest in the past six years. Where trends are identified, RMD works with the Training Academy in an effort to manage those risks through training emphases. A two-part risk assessment, over the course of the biennia, is also utilized to identify and address risk issues so that they may be managed proactively by the agency.