Emboldened by Democrat Law, Criminals Won’t Pull Over for Cops as WA Crime Surges

Law enforcement agencies in Washington are reporting a high number of instances where criminal suspects refuse to pull over during investigations because of a Democrat anti-policing bill. Many times, the suspects are in stolen cars.

The sheriffs in Pierce, Snohomish, and Chelan counties say the problem is rampant. The Washington State Patrol says troopers encountered nearly 1,000 instances of suspects refusing to pull over, according to the Northwest News Network. Lakewood PD experiences daily refusals to pull over.

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House Bill 1054, passed by Democrats in Olympia, “reimagined policing” in ways that emboldened criminals. Thanks to a near-total ban on police pursuits, suspects can ignore police without fear that they’ll be chased.

The only time police can pursue a vehicle is if they suspect impaired driving or have established probable cause, a much higher standard than reasonable suspicion, that the driver committed a violent crime, sex offense, or are an escaped felon. In cases where this standard is met, they must still determine whether a chase outweighs the risk to the public should their pursuit cause an accident.

It didn’t take long for this bill to impact a criminal’s behavior.

The state has seen a rash of quick smash-and-grab robberies where criminals can be in-and-out in minutes. ATMs are being stolen and pot shops are being robbed. Thanks to dangerously low police staffing, officers may not be able to respond to catch a criminal in the act. And if they see someone they reasonably suspect of theft driving off, they can’t pursue them.

There’s also been a statewide surge in car theft. Since it’s not a violent crime, stolen cars cannot be pursued under state law.

“I believe this is the first time we have ever topped 4,000 stolen vehicles per month,” said Steve Strachan, executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, told KING 5.

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In Snohomish County, it’s a daily occurrence, according to Sheriff Adam Fortney. {snip}

“Pretty much every day [suspects refuse to pull over], and I’m not exaggerating that,” Fortney explained to the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. “It’s not even about the pursuit. It’s about giving the crooks a free pass to commit crimes and drive away from the police.”

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