Wash. police call new reform laws ‘confusing,’ say will lead to an increase in criminal activity

July 29, 2021 carleyshaffer1 US 0

SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 12: A police vehicle follows behind a group of demonstrators near Pike Place Market as they protest the death of Daunte Wright on April 12, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. Police say the device serves as a non-lethal means of dispersing crowds and can be used to communicate with protesters, but critics say it can be used as a weapon. Wright, a Black man whose car was stopped in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota on Sunday reportedly for an expired registration, and not far from where George Floyd was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis last May, was shot and killed by an officer who police say mistook her service revolver for a Taser. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)

A police vehicle follows behind a group of demonstrators near Pike Place Market as they protest the death of Daunte Wright on April 12, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (David Ryder/Getty Images)

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UPDATED 3:09 PM PT – Thursday, July 29, 2021

Law enforcement agencies in Washington state have continued to voice their concerns on a raft of police reform measures they say will handcuff their abilities. Recent reports detailed the laws, which were signed by Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee in May and officially went into effect this week. The laws are described as a massive experiment in police reform.

Among the changes are a ban on chokeholds, neck restraints and no-knock warrants, along with the creation of a state agency to review officers use of deadly force. Critics have been particularly focused on a change to the use of physical force, which can be described as something as simple as putting a person in handcuffs.

Previously, officers were able to briefly detain someone if they had reasonable suspicion to do so. However, now they would need probably cause, which is a much higher standard. Authorities are concerned this will result in a lot of “bad guys” being let go.

TACOMA, WA - JANUARY 24: Police and Washington State Troopers block protesters from passing near freshly broken windows during an anti-police protest on January 24, 2021 in Tacoma, Washington. The previous day, a Tacoma police officer drove their vehicle through a crowd, spurring outrage and triggering an investigation. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)

Police and Washington State Troopers block protesters from passing near freshly broken windows during an anti-police protest on January 24, 2021 in Tacoma, Washington. (David Ryder/Getty Images)

They warned the law is also a failure when it comes to suspects suffering mental health or drug addiction, saying departments are only allowed to detain someone in a mental health crisis if they pose an imminent threat to themselves or others.

In a news conference on Tuesday, officers apologized to the first responders who would be put in danger thanks to this new standard.

“You used to be able to stage out and wait for us to go in and calm things down, and then come in and do your duties,” said Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich of Spokane County. “We really don’t know if we can do that for you anymore, you may have to go into that situation and we show up once you have been assaulted.”

Authorities also warned of a dramatic increase in criminal activity because of these new laws. They added Democrats would likely try to back-pedal, claiming the laws worked in ways that weren’t intended even though they were warned well ahead of time.

This comes as many departments have been working with limited resources. The city of Seattle reported a loss of 250 police officers over the last year, leaving around 1,000 officers to police a city of 725,000. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (D) called for an increase of police officers this week, following six separate shootings in the city over the weekend.