It’s pure blue-state madness. Seattle might as well roll out a ‘welcome’ mat to every rapist, murderer, carjacker, thief, and child trafficker in the area because police can no longer pursue suspects in vehicles. That’s right. If a cop sees a man get shot in front of him, it might be best for him or her just to stay put so as not to rock the boat or violate department policy. Officers who wish to execute their duties need to undergo special training to engage in pursuing suspects, which is grade-A idiocy (via KOMO News):
As of Wednesday, no Seattle Police Department (SPD) officer is allowed to engage in a pursuit unless the officer has been trained in an emergency vehicle operator course (EVOC) or Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) while employed by SPD, according to a source within the SPD.
Any pursuit must also meet all current requirements listed in the department's policy, according to a source within the SPD.
[...]
This news comes right after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee rolled back some requirements for police to chase people in vehicles, which is a partial reversal of a controversial pursuit policy first enacted in the state at the height of racial injustice protests following George Floyd’s murder.
As Jason Rantz pointed out, unless you’re a SWAT team member, the civilian leadership has handcuffed cops from doing their jobs. It wasn’t enough that armed leftists took over a sector of the city in 2020, dubbed the ‘summer of love’ by its former mayor. In the meantime, law enforcement is working quickly to find a way to comply with the new law and maintain law and order. The bill explicitly states that no officer should pursue suspects in all cases unless they’ve obtained this new certificate permitting them to arrest murderers, rapists, and other criminals who prey upon innocent civilians.
EXCLUSIVE: Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz told staff that pursuits have been effectively banned in all circumstances.
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) May 4, 2023
Democrat's police pursuit ban requires cops to have recent emergency vehicle operator training and be certified in at least one pursuit intervention option. pic.twitter.com/UJPIwTQtPX
Unless you're SWAT, the way the bill is written, most officers cannot pursue suspects based on the new law.
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) May 4, 2023
Again: this applies to all circumstances, including a suspect that a cop sees commit murder before fleeing. SPD officers do not have this kind of training.
This will be as temporary as possible, as the SPD figures out a policy that complies with the new law. This is an abject disaster, and police are worried about the implications.
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) May 4, 2023
SPD provided me with this statement. pic.twitter.com/WQvKQpcQIu
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) May 4, 2023
And yet, these issues aren’t resonating with voters. Despite a spike in crime, the law and order message has fallen on deaf ears with voters, which we saw in the 2022 midterms and the local and state elections afterward. But this new protocol to prevent cops from chasing criminals is a new level of stupid that can only emanate from progressives.