WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. –
Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo is sounding the alarm over new laws governing police tactics that took effect Sunday.
“The major impacts of these laws are going to be to impede law enforcement in preventing crime and apprehending criminals and performing their community caretaking functions,” says Elfo. “They’re going to have very serious ramifications.”
In a video released by the sheriff’s office, Elfo says he’s most concerned about laws limiting an officer’s ability to use force to detain someone or stop them from committing a crime.
“Law enforcement is now prohibit from using any, I repeat any degree of force unless they have probable cause, which is a fairly high legal standard, to arrest someone for a crime, to prevent an escape or to prevent imminent harm,” says Elfo.
He says officers were previously able to temporarily detain someone under the lesser standard of “reasonable suspicion.”
The Washington State Fraternal Order of Police is asking the state Attorney General for a formal written opinion to help guide law enforcement on the new laws.
We’ll have more on these laws and their effect on law enforcement with Sheriff Elfo on the Morning News this week.