OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Patrol says drivers are increasingly refusing to stop for troopers, and other law enforcement agencies say this is becoming a common occurrence.
The Northwest News Network reports that between January 1st and May 17th of this year, WSP reported 934 failure-to-yield incidents.
While the patrol has not tracked this in the past, veteran troopers say there’s been a dramatic uptick.
Steve Strachan, the executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, connects the increase in failures-to-yield to passage last year of House Bill 1054.
The police tactics law effectively banned high-speed pursuits, except in limited circumstances.
Backers of the measure said that police pursuits were too dangerous for all parties involved.