The buck needs to stop

The recent killing of Pierce County Sheriff's deputy Daniel McCartney, a man I worked with for five years while I was an Animal Control Officer in Hoquiam, once again reminds me of how law enforcement officers are perceived by those with bad intent. These are people with weapons and criminal backgrounds, always one act away from committing another felony, and in most cases, would prefer to shoot their way to the freedoms they think they may have left. These are desperados who should not be allowed on the streets of America, but thanks to our legal system, the plea bargains, the countless second and third chances at turning their lives around, continue to create mayhem and take the lives of those those who are tasked with protecting us.

These are people who should be forever incarcerated, never to be released for their crimes. These are people who are constantly recycled back out on our streets because criminal defense lawyers work hard to return them back into society and because judges hide behind the so-called imposed "sentencing guidelines."

Here's an idea! Change the sentencing guidelines for most felony crimes, reduce the number of legal appeals, and force lawyers to be accountable in defending their clients. They and the judges are, after all, the people who directly place these offenders back out on our streets. a place where our police officers must constantly deal with them, over and over again.

More than ever, we need to support America's police officers.

This story was originally published January 19, 2018 at 3:49 PM with the headline "The buck needs to stop."