Law enforcement officers have incredibly difficult jobs. With states passing anti-law enforcement bills, that job has become a whole lot harder.
Washington recently passed a use-of-force law that prohibits officers from pursuing suspects unless there is enough probable cause. Law enforcement saw the writing on the wall when it was passed, and it did not take long before it directly affected a case.
To Pursue or Not To Pursue?
The new law went into effect on Sunday, and by Wednesday, officers had a case where it tied their hands behind their backs. At 10:20 p.m., there were reports of shots fired at a Kohl's, according to KOMO.
When Pierce County Sheriff's detectives arrived at the scene, one man was dead in the parking lot, and the suspect had already run off. According to witnesses at the scene, a "man in a black shirt and black pants" was running away from the area.
While deputies checked the area, the man was nowhere to be found. The officer brought in one of their best tracking resources, a K-9 police dog. However, officials decided not to track the individual because there was not enough probable cause to justify it.
With the new police reform law, they were not allowed to use any kind of force to detain the suspect if and when they found him. Detectives are still investigating the crime and looking for the suspect.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy or Bad Policy?
The Pierce County Sheriff's had already warned the community in a Facebook post of what could happen under this new law. The sheriff said there would be a "significant change" to how the public and law enforcement officers would interact because probable cause and reasonable suspicion are two very different standards.
"In some situations this means that we must let potential suspects walk away from a crime scene until we have developed a high standard of having enough facts, information, and/or evidence for a reasonable officer to believe that a person is more likely than not to have committed a crime.”
Pierce County Sheriff's Department.
Even more concerning is the new law does not define what "physical force" means, which leaves it open to some interpretation on both sides. All in all, the new law makes for terrible policy no matter how you look at it.
It hinders officers' ability to do their jobs, and in the end, the public will suffer.
Well I guess the police should just start assisting and help load the stolen goods up in the DAMOCRAPS car. After all they are the biggest crooks on the planet.
it proves that the admiration is getting a cut
Maybe they should help killers hide the bodies, too.
Poor cops. They can't do anything anymore. Just another reason to have patriot citizens carry weapons. Open carry.
I knew it would get around to this someday, the cops have been Enforcing anti gun laws for a long time now, and soon they wont be able to carry either, just night sticks and pepper spray, they have been working for the demonrat leaders for a long time now, Even though they were NOT bound to obey unconstitutional laws, but the are bound to honor there oath of office to we the people. Leave our 2 -A alone !
They are not going to be able to carry those items either as they hurt and bother people. When I was in Law Enforcement the Black Community Leaders would get upset at the police for employing a legal non-lethal device and go to the Mayor and say how that item reminds them of Nazi Germany and the Mayor being a 1st Generation Jewish American who listened to the stories of his parents during WWII would take the items away from us. Eventually we had weak Mace that we never used as it affected us more than the suspect and our .38 cal. firearm that we did not want to use unless it was a last resort to save our life or the life of an innocent. Other than that we had to rely on our fists and holds to subdue suspects. It was tough but so were we and we still did our jobs. Just made it dangerous as Hell!
First priority is to be sure not to 'offend' any of these upstanding, pos criminals. And if person is not white, then you HAVE to apologize for stopping & let go even if you & 12 other officers saw suspect shoot someone, otherwise you are racist. Welcome to Communist America!
Now is the time for all of the police officers, in this state, should make a donut run at the beginning of their shift and spend the rest of their shift eating donuts, drinking coffee and catching up on their sleep. And when they get a call send it directly to the governors office. Tell the governor you are following the new law by not pursuing the criminal.
Maybe we need to return to the good all days like you know 200 years ago where everybody has a Gun in The protect themselves and their families not a bad idea I think
This is crazy. Wait until the crime happens to a politician. They will demand immediate action. Sorry. You passed the law.
We’ve already had the remember the WH incident. AOC was in fear if her life…. Peeloosie’s house was vandalized. Help. Help Police‼️ Folks even left a Hawg Head at her door…. All of this was just a group of Peaceful Protestors just like in Portland “antifa 🤡 & blm 🤡. Just saying‼️💯👍
Senator Barbara Boxer has already been mugged. She whined that it wasn't fair that someone would attack a little old lady, LOL
Since when does the federal government have authority over local laws and law enforcement? I can’t begin to imagine the pain and frustration of the family of the person who was shot and killed at that Kohl’s.
Welcome to communist and sosialist world. It is just starting. There is no more security for citizens and the crime will be growing and if incident happened the family will never ever get a justice.
Time to arm Up then since cops cant Help
In my honest opinion i think these types of laws are doing nothing but making most americans MAD as hell and are going to leave these states defenseless. I think more americans are going to start arming themselves and taking their own security and safety into hand period. Which in my opinion is not a bad thing cause it finally forces us to take our heads out of the sand and actually be responsible, And use our heads for other then electronics place keeper.Too many of todays society spends their time with their heads in some form of electronics (cell phones, i pads,lap tops , etc etc etc.... )and not enough time being aware of their surroundings. I prayed every time my father who is a retired leo would make it back home. I hope more officers use the retiremnt option and get out while they can its only going to get worse,Remember you are responsible for your own security and safety
I was a cop in the '70s. I made a lot of arrests and all were convictions. I was involved in one shooting where the bad guy shot my partner. He ran, I caught him and that too was a conviction. No big deal, it's a tough job, period. I feel for today's cops being treated so poorly by politicians.
I can't imagine why any young person today would choose law enforcement as a career. Sad.
MAD? VOTE, and don't let the commies steal another election. If you see Democrats, fake news peddlers, BLM and Antifa, you know what to do.
Unfortunately, at the same time politicians are preventing police officers from doing their jobs, they are trying to disarm law abiding citizens
Why have cops at all? Just let criminals have the run of U.S. - oh wait, they already do. That's all there is in the White House. . .
This is just how Satan would run a country !
And is. . . in the form of corrupt politicians.