Ordinance 2244-97 - Laserfiche WebLink

• ORDINANCE NO. 2244-97 AN ORDINANCE relating to the authority of police officers to search for outstanding arrest warrants, adding a new section to the Everett Municipal Code, Title 46 (Traffic Code). WHEREAS, on August 28, 1997, the Washington Supreme Court, in the case of State of Washington v. Rife,Docket No. 64305-9, Wn. 2d , held that police officers have been given no authority to run warrant checks on persons who have committed traffic infractions; and WHEREAS, the ability of law enforcement to search for outstanding warrants (i.e., run "warrant checks") during contact with individuals who have committed minor violations of the law has resulted in innumerable fugitives being brought to justice; and WHEREAS, the ability to search for outstanding warrants is crucial to the protection of the public and law enforcement officers; and WHEREAS, the ability to search for outstanding warrants is necessary for effective law enforcement; and WHEREAS, it is crucial, for police officer safety, that officers have the authority to find out the nature of the person with whom they are having contact, and whether or not that person has been alleged to have committed a crime, violent or otherwise, and whether or not that person has failed to appear for a court hearing, showing lack of respect for the authority of the law and the courts; and NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF EVERETT DOES ORDAIN: Section 1: A new section is hereby added to Title 46 of the Everett Municipal Code, the Traffic Code, to read as follows: In addition to any other authority granted to law enforcement officers by any federal, state, or local law or regulation, law enforcement officers are authorized to search for outstanding warrants upon making a stop, or upon making contact with a person, for a traffic infraction or non-traffic infraction.