“Our communities are safer” — Gregoire

Communities are safer because the state gave law enforcement help to deal with sex offenders. Highways are safer because of tough DUI enforcement.

But more needs to be done, Gov. Chris Gregoire said.

“Our families aren’t safe…when a man convicte of the brutal murder of an elderly woman disappears on a field trip to a county fair,” Gregoire said in listing several problems in the state in 2009. She said she’ll propose a package of bills “to hold offenders accountable…and give more weight to law enforcement and criminal histories when making commitment decisions.”