by With the new democrat government in place, Police accountability laws have been firmly put in place. Some people would argue that Democrat supporters unfairly passed these laws. The recent changes have gotten criticism from some of the boys in blue. The police claim that the rules destabilize operations on the streets and give them a hard time doing their jobs.
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The New Regulations Mostly Affect Police Officers Dealing with Intoxicated Individuals
Some have termed the new regulations as obstructive as they prevent officers from effectively solving cases. The most affected cases are when the police officer has to handle an intoxicated person who has gone out of control. Some of the issues involve persons that are high on drugs or people suffering from mental illness.
The fact of the matter is that people in these situations are not in their best state of mind. They can be a danger to themselves and others around them. In Washington, there have been situations where first responders were called to help in a case where the individual was under the influence of drugs. The responders included a team of specially trained responders. The offender noticeably had a past of drug abuse. Both times the specialized teams showed up, they were forced to leave the situation unresolved, allowing the same incident to happen again soon.
Police and Other Responders Get Themselves in Dangerous Situations
Unresolved cases put the lives of innocent civilians and first responders in needless danger. In a recent Facebook post, police Chief Lin Tucker commented that police officers and other first responders are forced to sit back and not act in situations where their intervention would genuinely make a positive impact. The legislative mandates can be found in HB1310 Section 3 (2) (a).
Firefighters Adversely Require Police Protection
In different states, firefighters are forced to wear bulletproof vests because they must go without police protection. Firefighters put their lives in danger every day to stop fires and deserve to get the safety of a trained police officer because they are not trained in the same manner the officers are. Ballistic armor can be cumbersome for firefighters to wear on the job, especially since their job requires them to be as flexible as possible.
It’s not just the firefighter’s lives that are put at risk by this new legislation; medical providers are also constantly in danger. Anyone with a family member in the medical knows how the job can at times be dangerous. This anxiety just got doubled by the new laws because first responders now do not have the security of police officers on emergency runs.
Security is Paramount for the Emergency Responders
Law enforcement plays a crucial role in keeping everyone safe. Police administrators are working around the clock to support members of society safely, but they argue that paperwork cannot stop a bullet. Interested people have raised concern over the “defund the police” movement that will affect medics and firefighters.
Although accountability is a reasonable expectation for any working person, concerns have been raised over how the movement’s success could force police officers to not respond to firefighters and medical personnel. This concern is made even more relevant because patients under the influence of drugs do not take kindly the medical workers getting them off their high. FFs are expected to take the place of police in an emergency situation. They are heroes in everybody’s view, but they also need police protection in their day-to-day activities. The reality of modern society does not allow for police to stand back and do nothing which is why these laws need to get changed.
About National Police Association
The National Police Association (NPA) is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization, EIN 82-0647764, founded to educate supporters of law enforcement in how to help police departments accomplish their goals. The National Police Association works to bring national and local attention to the anti-police efforts challenging effective law enforcement, building public support for needed actions through public service announcements, legal filings, articles authored for the NPA by law enforcement experts, and the NPA Report. For additional information, please visit www.nationalpolice.org.
