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Articles from the February 9, 2023 edition


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  • Stalking would be the same crime, online or in person

    Alexandria Osborne, Washington State Journal|Updated Mar 8, 2023

    Stalking is stalking, whether it is in person or online, and they will be treated as identical crimes if a bill presented in the Legislature is adopted. Under current law, a person commits the crime of stalking if they repeatedly follow someone with the intent to intimidate and harass. “Unfortunately, scholarly literature indicates that law enforcement has a tendency to downplay the behavior because the individual acts of stalking are not typically criminal on their own and do not appear threatening to someone who doesn't u...

  • Police dogs to be trained to find fentanyl

    Alexandria Osborne, Washington State Journal|Updated Mar 8, 2023

    The war against the use of illegal fentanyl will get some extra help in the future from drug sniffing dogs trained to detect the substance. That’s the intent of House Bill 1635, introduced by Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale. The bill instructs the Criminal Justice Training Commission to develop model standards for training the police dogs. Fentanyl is used illegally for intense but short-term highs and temporary feelings of euphoria, but can cause fainting, seizures and sometimes even death. Mosbrucker said the fentanyl e...