May be just me, but in cases of dealing with criminals bent on violent mayhem, calling the police should be for clean up.
And a small change to an old saw:
When seconds count the police are just minutes away aren’t coming.
What happens when people call the police … and cops don’t come? Washington is about to find out.
MOSES LAKE, WA – What happens when you call for help and no one comes? People in Moses Lake and other Washington communities are about to find out.
Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin Fuhr has been sounding the alarm since May about a package of new “police reform” laws that have been passed and signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee. Now, the Chief said police will follow the law.
Following the law means that many times, police will not be coming.
Of the laws passed this year, the main one of interest is House Bill 1310, or state Rep. Jesse Johnson’s “use of force” bill. It was signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on May 18 and goes into effect July 25 of this year.
The bill requires police to have probable cause before using force, as opposed to reasonable suspicion.
The law also creates a new board to investigate officers accused of wrongdoing or excessive force, makes it easier to decertify or prosecute officers, and limits their ability to act.
During a June 22 meeting, Fuhr said:
“This is changing completely the way we’ve responded to some of these calls … and there will be some calls that we just absolutely don’t respond to from here on out.”
Fuhr described recent meetings he held with the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs (WASPC), as well as the Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA). He said both organizations recommend police adjust the way they respond to calls.
Routine community care-taking functions such as welfare checks or mental health incidents should no longer be responded to by the police under the new law, according to Fuhr:
“The unfortunate thing is, I think of the person who’s in mental health crisis in a family member’s home, (and the) family member calls us, and our response is going to be, ‘I’m sorry, it’s not a crime. We can’t respond.’
“Frankly, my argument is (that) an ambulance should be doing that, not a law enforcement officer.”
The new package of laws has made it almost impossible for police to use any force in any situation that is not a crime. For example, if a child runs away from home and is located by an officer, the officer could ask the child to go with him but could not force the child to come.
Coupled with another provision in the law that virtually eliminates qualified immunity, which protects officers from lawsuits if they act within the law, the new use-of-force standard results in police only being able to respond to criminal acts.
WCIA also recommends police not respond to misdemeanor crimes, such as small theft or custody issues. Chief Fuhr explained that often, those cases require the use of force, but the law laws forbid it:
“Sometimes, those incidents require (the) use of force, and we don’t have a legal authority to be there.”
Under the new laws, police are limited on what they can do in traffic enforcement as well. Police can stop a vehicle, but they cannot require the occupants to exit the vehicle, cannot pat them down for weapons without their consent, and cannot put them in handcuffs without probable cause.
Traffic stops are one of the most dangerous acts an officer performs, and often proactive enforcement of traffic laws leads to arrests for drugs and other crimes. Under the new law, police will not be able to take proactive steps, because they cannot put themselves in a situation where force may be required before probable cause is established.
In addition, police can only pursue a vehicle suspected of major crimes, including robbery, rape, and homicide. The Chief explained:
“It is now law, and so we can’t violate law, and so there is no discussion as far as us doing it, because it’s been enacted.”
In summary of the new laws, Fuhr said people are going to have to adjust to the new normal in Washington state because the law created a situation where the police are not always going to come to their aid. It is not what the police want, but it is what the officials elected by the people want:
“It’s going to change the level of service we give to our citizens. Not because we want to, but because we have to.”