Law enforcement mobilization — Local law enforcement request for mobilization — State law enforcement resource coordinator — Mobilization response — Declaration of end of mobilization.
RCW 43.43.972
in effect(1) Local law enforcement may request mobilization only in response to an emergency or disaster exceeding the capabilities of available local resources and those available through existing mutual aid agreements. Upon finding that the local jurisdiction has exhausted all available resources, it is the responsibility of the chief to determine whether mobilization is the appropriate response to the emergency or disaster and, if so, to mobilize jurisdictions under the Washington state law enforcement mobilization plan. (2) Upon mobilization, the chief shall appoint a state law enforcement resource coordinator, and an alternate, who shall serve jointly with the chief law enforcement officer from the host agency to command the mobilization effort consistent with incident command system procedures. (3) Upon mobilization, all law enforcement resources including those of the host agency and those that responded earlier under an existing mutual aid or other agreement shall be mobilized. Mobilization may include the redistribution of regional or statewide law enforcement resources to either direct emergency incident assignments or to assignments in communities where law enforcement resources are needed. (4) For the duration of the mobilization: (a) Host agency resources shall become state law enforcement mobilization resources, under the command of the state law enforcement resource coordinator and the chief law enforcement officer from the host agency, consistent with the state law enforcement mobilization plan and incident command system procedures; and (b) All law enforcement authorities providing resources in response to a mobilization declaration shall be eligible for expense reimbursement as provided by this chapter. (5) The chief, in consultation with the regional law enforcement resource coordinator, shall determine when mobilization is no longer required and shall then declare the end to the mobilization.
(1) Local law enforcement may request mobilization only in response to an emergency or disaster exceeding the capabilities of available local resources and those available through existing mutual aid agreements. Upon finding that the local jurisdiction has exhausted all available resources, it is the responsibility of the chief to determine whether mobilization is the appropriate response to the emergency or disaster and, if so, to mobilize jurisdictions under the Washington state law enforcement mobilization plan.
(2) Upon mobilization, the chief shall appoint a state law enforcement resource coordinator, and an alternate, who shall serve jointly with the chief law enforcement officer from the host agency to command the mobilization effort consistent with incident command system procedures.
(3) Upon mobilization, all law enforcement resources including those of the host agency and those that responded earlier under an existing mutual aid or other agreement shall be mobilized. Mobilization may include the redistribution of regional or statewide law enforcement resources to either direct emergency incident assignments or to assignments in communities where law enforcement resources are needed.
(4) For the duration of the mobilization:
(a) Host agency resources shall become state law enforcement mobilization resources, under the command of the state law enforcement resource coordinator and the chief law enforcement officer from the host agency, consistent with the state law enforcement mobilization plan and incident command system procedures; and
(b) All law enforcement authorities providing resources in response to a mobilization declaration shall be eligible for expense reimbursement as provided by this chapter.
(5) The chief, in consultation with the regional law enforcement resource coordinator, shall determine when mobilization is no longer required and shall then declare the end to the mobilization.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.43&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026