SPR's Doug Nadvornick reports. Sheriffs and police chiefs from eastern Washington are warning they’ll have to change their response to crisis when new state policing laws go into effect on Sunday. The laws are meant to reduce the number of violent confrontations between police and the public. Many police leaders argue they take away tools that are effective at de-escalating tense situations.
At a briefing for reporters Thursday, Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl said the new laws tighten the threshold by which officers can use force. Some provisions in the laws are vague, he said, leaving officers confused about how they’re allowed to act in certain circumstances. For example, he says officers called in to de-escalate situations with agitated individuals may not be allowed to use force to bring someone under control if they’re not breaking the law.