Washington Legislature Expands Scope of Independent Police Investigations

New law gives Office of Independent Investigation broader authority to review deadly force and other incidents

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The Washington State Legislature has passed a bill that expands the scope of the statewide Office of Independent Investigation (OII), which was created in 2021 to investigate police deadly use of force incidents. The new law broadens OII's investigative powers to include other types of incidents, allows it to review cases retroactively, and exempts certain records from public disclosure.

Why it matters

The expansion of OII's authority is seen as an important step in providing independent oversight of law enforcement in Washington state. The office was created in response to concerns about a lack of transparency and accountability in police use of force investigations. The new law gives OII more tools to thoroughly review a wider range of incidents and ensure the integrity of the investigative process.

The details

House Bill 2508 was introduced at the request of OII and passed the state legislature with strong bipartisan support. The law allows OII to investigate incidents where a person dies after an encounter with police, as well as cases where new evidence emerges that was not part of the initial probe. It also exempts certain OII records from public disclosure, including those related to ongoing investigations. The bill comes as OII is transitioning to new leadership, with Jane Nesbitt appointed as interim director following the resignation of Roger Rogoff in February.

  • The Office of Independent Investigation was created by the Washington Legislature in 2021.
  • OII began operating in several regions of the state, including Southwest Washington, in late 2024 and early 2025.
  • OII's first report was published in 2024.
  • House Bill 2508 was passed by the Washington Legislature and sent to the governor for signing on March 6, 2026.

The players

Office of Independent Investigation (OII)

A statewide agency created by the Washington Legislature in 2021 to investigate police deadly use of force incidents. The new law expands OII's scope to include other types of incidents.

Rep. Debra Enten

The Washington state legislator who introduced House Bill 2508 at the request of OII.

Roger Rogoff

The former director of OII, who announced his resignation in February 2026.

Jane Nesbitt

The interim director of OII, appointed by Governor Bob Ferguson to lead the office through 2028.

Steve Strachan

The executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, who has had positive discussions with OII about the new law.

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What they’re saying

“The way we do that is by accruing the resources necessary, and mostly that would be investigators and the training of those investigators in places other than Southwest Washington.”

— Roger Rogoff, Former Director, Office of Independent Investigation (The Center Square)

“They have acknowledged when law enforcement has raised issues and had concerns, but now that we've had the director leave we're going to be basically making sure what OII does...is really focused on external and internal objectivity and legitimacy of these investigations; that they always focused on facts and the law, and not social media or political pressure or family opinion.”

— Steve Strachan, Executive Director, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (The Center Square)

What’s next

Governor Bob Ferguson is expected to sign House Bill 2508 into law in the coming days.

The takeaway

The expansion of the Office of Independent Investigation's authority represents an important step forward in providing independent oversight and accountability for law enforcement in Washington state. The new law gives OII more tools to thoroughly review a wider range of incidents and ensures the integrity of the investigative process.