WALT SPECHT: It’s time to rethink some laws

Recent events have shown an apparent increase in the willingness of individuals to engage police with deadly force. I don’t pretend to know what shift in demographics are to blame for this, but I am sure some sociologist is working on that. The plain fact is people have lost their fear of the consequences of assaulting an officer of the law.

In many states, the murder of a police officer is a death-penalty crime. Those consequences are, at best, stalled for 20 or more years. What kind of swift and sure punishment is that? Plus, what does it say to the public?

It is time that assaulting a police officer with deadly intent becomes a death-penalty case. The laws need to be rewritten to assure justice swift and sure, not slow, stalled and expensive. Make the penalty such that people won’t even consider the crime due to the consequences.

The other civil unrest needing an adjustment in consequences is the rioting. There is a big difference between a protest and a riot. This behavior should not be acceptable in any manner. It should be met with the harshest countermeasures imaginable and result in very long-term incarcerations.

It is not a police officer’s job to get pelted with rocks, firebombs and whatever. There has to be enough fear of the consequences to deter the behavior. Right now, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

WALT SPECHT

Leesburg