By John Lovick / For The Herald
Forty years ago, I proudly joined the Washington State Patrol. Back then, I had the utmost respect for our community’s protectors. Now, I have 40 times more respect for them.
Yet we are having more difficulty coming together than ever before. When you’re involved in complex legislation determining the future of policing, it isn’t about who is right, but about doing what is right.
I spent 2020 looking into people’s eyes and listening to their pain. As someone who wore the badge for decades, I needed to hear this. It was the first step in a journey toward collective healing.
As lawmakers, we have a duty to help repair the relationship between our communities and law enforcement.
Last fall, a group of us sat down with leading policy scholars throughout the country, with law enforcement, and with community organizations. Each group was clear about their concerns and ideas.
Almost a year after those meetings, as I look back at the landmark public safety laws the Legislature passed this spring, I have no doubt that every one of us came to the table in good faith.
The Fraternal Order of Police represents many of the men and women on the front lines of law enforcement, and they were also on the front lines of these negotiations. I sincerely appreciate their ideas, their stories, and how hard they worked to improve legislation.
This may surprise you, but many of these new laws simply codify existing practices surrounding de-escalation, uses of force, vehicle pursuits and police accountability.
So, why the controversy now?
There is a lot of misinformation about what these new laws actually mean. Lawmakers are working with the state attorney general to clear up those ambiguities. And if legislation is needed to untangle anything else, I’ll certainly support that.
Part of the problem is that few big reforms make everyone happy. There is no world where everyone agrees on every word. On tough issues, one way we know we’ve reached a good compromise is when all parties are equally dissatisfied.
To the selfless members of law enforcement, I want to say that in my time in the Legislature, I will never support legislation that endangers your lives.
To community members and constituents, I want to share with you that I have taken multiple trips to the state Criminal Justice Training Commission to speak with those responsible for training law enforcement. Each time, I witnessed future officers undergo rigorous training, and I have never seen such enthusiasm, professionalism and integrity among those entering this profession. There are currently four classes at the academy, and they are all at capacity.
So it’s a myth that people don’t want to serve in law enforcement today.
Just as it’s a myth that these new laws stop officers from catching criminals or helping the community.
And it’s a myth somebody has to lose for another side to win. If we devote ourselves into waging war to defeat the other side, we will have already lost. Because that other side is not our enemy. They are our neighbors and friends.
Law enforcement only works when there is a foundation of trust between those who wear the badge and those they are sworn to protect.
Let’s commit to rebuilding that trust, to listening to each other — and working together — to create the future of public safety that works for all of us in the great state of Washington.
State Rep. John Lovick, D-Mill Creekm spent more than 30 years with the State Patrol before serving as a state representative, Snohomish County Sheriff and Snohomish County Executive. He Is also a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and lives in Mill Creek.
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