WA Rep. Smith proposes bill to divert funds to unarmed 911 response efforts March 12, 2021 at 10:59 am
Seattle police officers Wes Phillips, left, and Tori Newborn talk with Corvin Dobschutz as part of Seattle’s Navigation Team. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
While state legislators are working on a series of bills to reimagine policing at the local level, Washington Rep. Adam Smith is targeting a more national approach.
That came in the form of a new bill Rep. Smith introduced in Congress on Thursday, which would divert federal funds toward programs across the country that focus on nonviolent responses to 911 calls.