Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1961 NO. 71 >

(1) A city of the first class, in the absence of any restrictive provision of its own charter, has the power under existing state law to enact an ordinance authorizing the purchase of liability insurance out of city funds to protect its employees against liability from false arrest or assault and battery, as a part of their compensation.(2) A city of the first class, in the absence of any restrictive provision in its own charter, has the power under state law to enact an ordinance providing for the use of corporation counsel to defend civil suits brought against its officers and employees in their individual capacity for wrongful arrest or assault and battery under certain specified conditions.

AGO 1954 NO. 359 >

The board of directors of a school district may expend school district funds to pay the premiums on an insurance policy limiting the district's liability occasioned by bodily injuries to its students or faculty members on school premises.