Washington’s attorney general has submitted a budget request to reinvigorate a police team to investigate unsolved homicides and sexual assaults in the state.

The $1.7 million budget request by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson is the first time the office has called for a state team specifically tasked with pursuing cold cases. The state’s Homicide Information Tracking System team has dwindled to five employees from the previous 16 investigators.

Detectives are now facing 1,600 unsolved homicides. Proposals by Ferguson and Gov. Inslee also prioritize following up leads in sexual assault cold cases.