Thoughts on House Bill 1054

I understand the need for ethical policing but I must agree with policy director James McMahan - the bill is very vaguely written and does not acknowledge officer safety. This bill restricts the use of necessary tools our officers have to work with to de-escalate situations and keep themselves and the community safe.

Across the board, whether it is the use of a S.W.A.T vehicle, a police K9 or other defensive tactics - our officers need the options and the time and distance to utilize them in order to do their job efficiently and ethically. If this bill passes, it is likely that we could actually see a rise in use of deadly force, as there are fewer options an officer has to de-escalate a dangerous situation.

To sum it up, this bill hinders best police procedures, not fixes them. One final thought I want to leave you with: House Bill 1054 is like handcuffing an officer and then sending him out to fight crime. Our officers understand the authority they hold and many departments in the area have already worked hard to update and improve policy and procedure.

Although our communities are unique, the need to fight crime is crucial and can only happen if we allow our officers to be equipped with the tools necessary to keep us safe. This bills as it stands may open the door for further damage to our communities as well as cost the lives of officers. Will we let this happen?

Moriah F. Fletcher,

Tekoa