Lawmakers in Olympia on verge of major policing overhaul

SEATTLE (AP) — Lawmakers are on the cusp of overhauling policing and police accountability in Washington state, acting with unusual urgency to curb bad behavior by officers following last year’s turbulent protests for racial justice. As this week’s deadline for passing bills out of each house of the Legislature elapsed, most of the key bills had been approved and now move on for consideration by the alternate house, with hearings set to begin as soon as Thursday. The bills include measures limiting the use of tactics like neck restraints and creating an independent office to investigate police use of deadly force. Officers would be required to intervene if they see a colleague using excessive force and to exercise reasonable care in using force.