Letter: Lawlessness

Police may stop persons suspected of committing a crime, and may arrest those where there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed. The power to arrest and the enforcement of that arrest is critical to our protection and the enforcement of the law. Police officers cannot be shy about using force when necessary to accomplish an arrest. That power and the use of that power are central to our constitutional freedoms.

George Floyd was obviously resisting at some point or he would not have been on the ground. Whether the police are guilty of a crime will depend on the evidence, but the lawlessness we have observed should be a great concern to all of us. We have a sacred right to assemble for any reason, but the assembly of large crowds should never be allowed to be a means to riot, plunder, or destroy property, and in particular, should not be a means to harm the police.

Clearly the law needs to change. We will see if our legislators are up to the task. When people assemble they should not be allowed to wear masks. When police feel that they must be present, any agitation against the police or assault of police should be a crime — a serious crime. Crimes against property and persons in such situations should be much more serious than usual.

Consider this: Those peaceful crooks, who deal in property crimes, almost enjoy being falsely arrested. They are calm and not combative. Why? Because it is an easy $5,000 to $10,000 in damages following a lawsuit. That is not an exaggeration. We will know the particulars of George Floyd’s arrest, but there is no reason to resist arrest. If it is a false arrest, there are immense returns; if it is a valid arrest, any resistance multiplies the crime. Certainly crowd criminal activity should not be tolerated, and the penalties should be increased to put a stop to such crimes.

Ken Jorgensen

Moses Lake