Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson unveiled his public safety plan for his potential role as governor in the upcoming election.
Opponents and even a member of the state legislature have strongly reacted to the post since its release.
Ferguson’s campaign website features a comprehensive public safety plan. The plan, available for public viewing, outlines various strategies and initiatives aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of the community.
“Washington is currently facing significant public safety challenges, as the data clearly indicates. It is crucial that we adopt a fresh and innovative approach to address these issues. We firmly believe that every individual residing in Washington deserves the right to live without fear of harm.”
The plan emphasizes the importance of recruiting more law enforcement officers at all levels, ensuring that violent criminals face greater accountability, and addressing the backlog of untested rape kits at the state crime lab, alongside other key priorities.
According to Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale, Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s plan has been supported by Republican legislation for the past ten years.
According to Mosbrucker, the ranking minority member of the House Public Safety, Justice and Reentry Committee, Ferguson’s party recently called for defunding the police. Therefore, although these items are all things that we can support, they have been long-standing requests from our side.
Over the past decade, it is disheartening to witness the consequences that our constituents have endured due to their decision to go against our advice. Many of them have experienced heartbreaking situations.
Ferguson has outlined his approach to tackle the pressing issue of law enforcement shortage and combat the fentanyl crisis by utilizing resources obtained from opioid companies that contributed to the epidemic. These resources have been recovered through litigation by the Attorney General’s office.
The plan emphasizes the importance of equipping law enforcement with better technology and data, as well as advancing equity and proven strategies to prevent youth crime rather than just responding to it.
According to former King County Sheriff and gubernatorial candidate Dave Reichert, Attorney General Bob Ferguson is out of touch.
“He is not only out of touch with the victims but also with the people who are working to enforce the law,” he expressed. “The solutions he is proposing do not make any sense to me.”
Reichert attributes our current situation to Ferguson’s inadequate leadership and limited knowledge of law enforcement.
Seattle and King County are experiencing a significant shortage of police officers, with Seattle down almost 400 officers and King County close to 150. This shortage is also affecting smaller community departments, where they may be down 5, 8, 9, or even ten cops. Such a decrease in police resources is a major concern as it impacts the overall safety and security of our communities.
“He stated that today, individuals are not choosing to become police officers due to low pay. The main issue, however, lies in the lack of support and the restrictions placed on their ability to enforce the law. The key to recruiting well-trained police officers, according to him, is two-fold. Firstly, they need to be allowed to enforce the law without unnecessary limitations. Secondly, they require the backing and support of their superiors when making difficult decisions. He questioned the whereabouts of Mr. Ferguson throughout these years, as he was the one who ultimately led us down this problematic path.”
Reichert highlighted the ongoing crisis in police officer recruitment, emphasizing its detrimental impact on law enforcement. He pointed out that this issue not only hinders their ability to enforce the law effectively but also fails to provide them with adequate support when they face difficult life-or-death situations. Moreover, this crisis has created an environment where officers feel like they will face criminal charges if they have to make a challenging decision.
Unfortunately, Ferguson did not provide any comment in response to our requests before this article was published.