08-22-2021, 10:46 PM
2 New laws went into effect in July in WA State and I think the lawmakers got them wrong, and the voters even more wrong and perhaps even the officers carrying them out or not carrying them out.
WA State has now limited the way in which officers respond to calls, and the reaction from the police force and the communities are strong. The officers hands are tied, but I also think they may be unwilling to work within the new laws, and also there is hope for more reliance on community or health care or mental health workers-but are these programs fully set up yet to be effective? Does not look like it!
So currently an officer could respond to a domestic violence call and let the perpetrator go. Or they could pull over a vehicle which has open alcohol and drugs and would only be able to respond to the alcohol.
Many stations have had open houses discussing what these new rules mean for the public. They are making it sound like worse case scenario and imo using scare tactics and unwillingness to make these new laws work. But also....I do believe thier hands are tied. These are 2 shitty laws that were not broken down enough or clarified enough and it sucks.
HB 1310 establishes new use of force standards for police officers and HB 1054 limits use of certain police tactics such as vehicle chases and neck restraints.
Here is one article discussing it-
Of course this one is left leaning
https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/07/wh...io27EB7moc
WA State has now limited the way in which officers respond to calls, and the reaction from the police force and the communities are strong. The officers hands are tied, but I also think they may be unwilling to work within the new laws, and also there is hope for more reliance on community or health care or mental health workers-but are these programs fully set up yet to be effective? Does not look like it!
So currently an officer could respond to a domestic violence call and let the perpetrator go. Or they could pull over a vehicle which has open alcohol and drugs and would only be able to respond to the alcohol.
Many stations have had open houses discussing what these new rules mean for the public. They are making it sound like worse case scenario and imo using scare tactics and unwillingness to make these new laws work. But also....I do believe thier hands are tied. These are 2 shitty laws that were not broken down enough or clarified enough and it sucks.
HB 1310 establishes new use of force standards for police officers and HB 1054 limits use of certain police tactics such as vehicle chases and neck restraints.
Here is one article discussing it-
Of course this one is left leaning
https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/07/wh...io27EB7moc