Posted on 05/02/2020 5:33:54 PM PDT by jazusamo
Governors across the nation have issued stay-at-home orders. Many have extended them once or twice. Some have even gone so far as to threaten to slap residents with fines. But what these governors are counting on is local police departments and sheriffs to enforce their orders. Sheriffs from around the country are standing up and refusing to enforce the orders because they believe them to be unconstitutional.
Two Arizona Sheriffs – Doug Schuster of Mohave County and Mark Lamb of Pinal County – said they will not enforce Gov. Doug Ducey's (R) stay-at-home order. Both Schuster and Lamb agreed to talk with residents about violating the governor's order but they would not arrest those who refuse to comply, Arizona Central reported.
Even though Mohave County is home to Lake Havasu City, one of the state's most popular tourist attractions, the sheriff believes people will be respectful of Ducey's orders.
“We’ll get compliance,” Schuster said. “These businesses are not looking to butt heads with law enforcement or the state.”
Sheriff Lamb, who has become a regular on A&E's "Live PD," said he never intended to make his "unspoken rule" known, but the governor's orders forced him to do so.
“I think people want to know that we’re going to support their constitutional rights,” Lamb said. “I felt (Ducey) pushed me into a position where I needed to make our stance clear.”
According to the Pinal County sheriff, the state's low number of Wuhan coronavirus deaths – 330 – no longer justified a stay-at-home order and keeping people from their livelihoods. He even went so far as to say he would join a lawsuit challenging Ducey's order.
“Three hundred deaths is not a significant enough number to continue to ruin the economy," Lamb said.
Schuster said if he received a complaint about a business, such as a restaurant being open, he would show up and encourage them to practice social distancing and other health care guidelines.
“Call me a coach,” he said. “We’re here to support you. We want to see businesses get back to normal as quickly as possible.”
Schuster said he has no desire to arrest people who are filling restaurant orders.
“My conscience will not allow me to arrest someone who is trying to make a living,” he said. “I don’t believe it is a crime to try and make a living.”
Two sheriffs in Washington State – Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney and Franklin County Sheriff J.D. Raymond – had similar sentiments.
Fortney took to Facebook to explain why he thought Gov. Jay Inslee's (D) orders were wrong.
"I am worried about the economy and I am worried about Washingtonian’s that need to make a living for their family. As more data floods in week by week and day by day about this pandemic I think it is clear that the 'models' have not been entirely accurate," he wrote in a post. "While that is okay, we cannot continue down the same path we have been on if the government reaction does not fit the data or even worse, the same government reaction makes our situation worse."
He went on to say he believed Inslee's orders violated the Constitution.
"As your elected Sheriff I will always put your constitutional rights above politics or popular opinion. We have the right to peaceably assemble," Fortney said. "We have the right to keep and bear arms. We have the right to attend church service of any denomination. The impacts of COVID 19 no longer warrant the suspension of our constitutional rights."
Sheriff Raymond said he refuses to enforce Inslee's orders or "guidelines that infringe on your constitutional rights," KOMO-TV reported.
Raymond made the case that residents can be adults and care for themselves.
"I believe that social distancing and taking appropriate and proper steps to slow the spread of the virus and control its transmission is important," he wrote in a letter to his constituents.
Sheriffs across the nation are standing up against laws they believe are unconstitutional. It really is similar to sheriffs who are bucking gun control laws across the nation. They took an oath to uphold the Constitution and are doing everything in their power to preserve and protect their constituents' rights.
“Just following orders” is an excuse for all kinds of mischief under color of law.
Subject:: It’s not about your health!
“When the State tells you it’s safe to go to Home Depot to buy a sponge but dangerous to go and buy a flower, it’s not about your health.
When the State shuts down millions of private businesses but doesn’t lay off a single government employee, it’s not about your health.
When the State bans dentists because its unsafe, but deems an abortion visit is safe, it’s not about your health.
When the State prevents you from buying cucumber seeds because it’s dangerous, but allows personal lottery ticket sales, it’s not about your health.
When the State tells you it’s dangerous to go golf alone, fish alone or be in a motor boat alone, but the Governor can get his stage make-up done, and hair done for 5 TV appearances a week, it’s not about your health.
When the state puts you IN a jail cell for walking in a park with your child because it’s too dangerous but lets criminals OUT of jail cells for their health- It’s not about YOUR health!
When the state tells you it’s too dangerous to get treated by a doctor for chiropractic or physical therapy treatments yet deems a liquor store essential- It’s not about your health!
When the State lets you go to the grocery store or hardware store but is demanding mail-in voting, ITS NOT ABOUT YOUR HEALTH.
WAKE UP PEOPLE — If you think this is all about your health you’re mistaken! Please open your eyes! Stop being lead like blind sheep.”
A woman holds up a sign as California Highway Patrol officers push back against protesters at a Capitol "Reopen California" anti-Newsom protest amid the coronavirus pandemic. Many participants did not wear protective masks or follow social distancing guidelines. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
“The lake parks around here are bursting with people, right this moment. The only thing the deputies and lake rangers are concerned with is managing the traffic and parking. And the drunks .”
That happened in N. California on the Delta about 2 weeks ago.
A ton of boaters and Striped Bass fishers decided to fish or boat on the Delta. Our son and his 19 year old son spent about 2 hours to launch their boat and 2 hours at the departure site.
The rangers/wardens and deputies were busy handling the launching and landing traffic and a few drunks.
The evil people without masks are everywhere!
Bless them.
Bump!
For your list and the lady in red, they’re both right on!
A woman holds up a sign as California Highway Patrol officers push back against protesters at a Capitol "Reopen California" anti-Newsom protest amid the coronavirus pandemic. Many participants did not wear protective masks or follow social distancing guidelines. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
Odds are Sheriff Lamb’s tenure on Dan Abrams’ show is about to abruptly end.
I see a number of posts on this thread stating the Sheriffs get it because they are elected.
So are the Governors. Why do the Governors not get it?
One elected office gets it and the other doesn’t? There is no logical sense to the premise. What’s to stop the Sheriff from enforcing the Governor’s order? At what price can a Governor buy off the Sheriff’s cooperation?
All I am saying is while I applaud them for taking their Oath seriously...WE should be careful to not take that for granted. Both are elected offices and logically one would think the Governor would be just as loyal, but as we are seeing, they are not.
In Michigan 60% of the States Department of State are on Furlough. Counties are furloughing employees and hospitals are cutting staff and even clinics are being shut down
Because the Governors live far away.
The Governor might not have even gotten a majority of the vote in your county. But you can bet the sheriff did.
Rather then the untouchable elite living in the capital the sheriff lives right there. And if he ticks off the people of his county he will not be re-elected.
Colorado does not have a state police force ...
Actually there are many Colorado State Police. CSU has a contingent of Colorado State Police officers. I do not know what other schools have State Police. There are State police at the state capitol.
The Colorado State Patrol, based in Lakewood, Colorado, is a
division of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, and is
one of the official state police agencies of Colorado, along
with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and several smaller
state agencies.
{cue up my very best Brando voice impersonization…}
But a few kids shot up in school are enough to try to change the Constitution!
One of these days; a few thousand Richard Dreyfuss types are going to remove their masks...
Nice to see at least some of law enforcement are not drones who will do literally anything they are ordered to do. It is their duty to protect and respect individual rights, even if ordered to do otherwise.
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