Washington State: Enemy To Law & Order
Sheriff Keith Swank Has Something To Say
The State of Washington is often overlooked in national discussions, but it has become one of the most dangerous and cowardly states for those behind the badge. Their latest attack is in the form of Senate Bill 5974, a proposal that politicians are masking as a “modernization” to law enforcment that will “build trust” with citizens.
Politicians love to deceive with words, and the word TRUST should always be a sign. The Illinois SAFE-T Act was a 2021 criminal justice reform law that promised to make citizens safer and turned Illinois into one of the most dangerous states in the country. BLM made the world believe it was about Black Lives, but we all know now it was about Building Large Mansions.
What is happening in Washington is nothing new, but, unlike the lies from the past, some courageous leaders are standing up.
The liars are trying to make everyone think that SB 5974 upholds better training and background checks for law enforcement, and while no one would argue against those common-sense provisions, that isn’t the issue.
The bill permits an unelected board to “deny, suspend, or revoke certification of peace officers,” and will soon include sheriffs, if they violate provisions in an updated statute, RCW 43.101.105.
Here are just a few 2021 revisions in that “trust-building” law that apply to all peace officers, including sheriffs:
Officers have always been required to uphold the United States Constitution, but that has been expanded to include the opinions of judges and legislative laws as interpreted and applied by the state supreme court.
Officers that engage “in conduct including, but not limited to, verbal statements, writings, online posts, recordings, and gestures, involving prejudice or discrimination against a person on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, immigration status, disability, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status;” can be decertified and removed from office.
This also applies to those affiliated with one or more extremist organizations.
Decertification will also occur if a police officer “engaged in a use of force that could reasonably be expected to cause physical injury, and the use of force violated the law or policy of the officer’s employer.”
And this is a favorite among those who wish to destroy Washington law enforcement:
“Engaged in any conduct or pattern of conduct that: Fails to meet the ethical and professional standards required of a peace officer or corrections officer; disrupts, diminishes, or otherwise jeopardizes public trust or confidence in the law enforcement profession and correctional system.”
The Problem
Unless you have no working brain cells, you see the problem, and those weren’t the only issues. Politicians love to trick you, so let me briefly explain the issues:
Judges and legislators routinely get it wrong, and it takes years for the United States Supreme Court to rule on it. The state's COVID-era policies are just one example. Under this provision, if a Sheriff or a police officer decided it wasn’t a good idea to arrest a soccer mom letting her kids play in the park or arresting a pastor for not closing the church, they could be swiftly removed from their job.
How about verbal or online posts involving “discrimination.” It sounds like a good idea until you consider who gets to make that decision. You guessed it, an unelected board put in place by the Governor.
Everyone would agree that we don’t want law enforcement involved with “extremist groups,” but who decides? Is it possible that it includes groups like “Moms for Liberty,” “Turning Point USA,” “Dr. James Kennedy Ministries,” or the “Family Research Council”? It’s not only possible, but that’s exactly what the Southern Poverty Law Center has done, and that was enough for the Biden DOJ to open investigations on some of these groups.
Predictably, decertification can also occur over the use of force. Accountability is important for this issue, but it doesn’t just apply to violations of the law. Officers can be decertified for violating their policy, and if you don’t think that can be abused, you’ve never worn a uniform.
What Does This Mean
There should be no confusion about what this is. It’s about politicians controlling any police officer or duly elected sheriff.
Cowards aren’t stupid.
They applied this decertification scam to police officers in 2021 when the world was made to believe that every cop was racist and fentanyl wasn’t deadly. Law enforcement leaders in Washington said very little then, but now they are coming for the leaders, and every police chief and sheriff in the state has a choice to make.
They can step up with Sheriff Swank or bow down to the cowards.
Dr. Travis Yates retired as a commander with a large municipal police department after 30 years of service. He is the author of “The Courageous Police Leader: A Survival Guide for Combating Cowards, Chaos & Lies.” His risk management and leadership seminars have been taught to thousands of professionals worldwide. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy with a Doctorate Degree in Strategic Leadership and the CEO of the Courageous Police Leadership Alliance.
It is amazing that Washington State doesn't think that policing is challenging enough. Great article Dr. Yates.