Colo. sheriff refuses to enforce gun-control bills

[lewisipso]

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado sheriff says he won't enforce two aggressive gun-control measures waiting to be signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper.
Weld County Sheriff John Cooke told The Greeley Tribune (Cooke won ) that Democratic lawmakers are scrambling after recent mass shootings, and the bills are "feel-good, knee-jerk reactions that are unenforceable."
One bill expands background checks on firearm purchases, and the other limits ammunition magazines to 15 rounds. The 15-round magazine limit would make Colorado the first state outside the East Coast to ratchet back gun rights after last year's shootings in Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn.
Colorado's gun-control debates have been closely watched because of the state's gun-loving frontier heritage and painful history of mass shootings, most recently last summer's movie theater shooting that killed 12.
The sheriff said he "won't bother enforcing" the laws because it would be impossible for officers to keep track of how the requirements are being met by gun owners — and he and other sheriffs are considering suing the state to block the measures if they are signed into law.
Cooke said the bill passed Friday requiring a $10 background check to legally transfer a gun wouldn't keep firearms out of the hands of those who use them for violence.
"Criminals are still going to get their guns," he said.

Colo. sheriff refuses to enforce gun-control bills - Yahoo! News

[pgg]

Good. I wish every agency would do the same. To do otherwise would be enforcing an unconstitutional law and violating people's civil rights.

[Standard Dave]

While many people will disagree with the law is it up to law enforcement officers to decide which laws they will bother to enforce, potentially a slippery slope.

Wouldn't he be better taking his concerns about the law to a higher court or official to get a definative answer.

[Cidp24]

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Kudos to them.


Via Tapatalk.

[Xiphos]

While many people will disagree with the law is it up to law enforcement officers to decide which laws they will bother to enforce, potentially a slippery slope.

Wouldn't he be better taking his concerns about the law to a higher court or official to get a definative answer.

We swear an oath to the constitution, not the politicians.

[lewisipso]

up to law enforcement officers to decide which laws they will bother to enforce

If the Sheriff there is like it is here policy can be made at a moments notice, verbally, then written and immediately enforceable. If he says don't enforce you don't enforce.

[pgg]

While many people will disagree with the law is it up to law enforcement officers to decide which laws they will bother to enforce, potentially a slippery slope.

Wouldn't he be better taking his concerns about the law to a higher court or official to get a definative answer.

One thing to remember is we cannot violate the constitution. That means laws like these that are unconstitutional we cannot legally enforce. It is essentially an illegal order. To do so would mean that we as law enforcement officers will be held criminally and civilly liable for violating someone's rights.

[Captain America]

One thing to remember is we cannot violate the constitution. That means laws like these that are unconstitutional we cannot legally enforce. It is essentially an illegal order. To do so would mean that we as law enforcement officers will be held criminally and civilly liable for violating someone's rights.

Not the dumb-ass politicians that wrote the laws in the first place.

[MacLean]

While many people will disagree with the law is it up to law enforcement officers to decide which laws they will bother to enforce, potentially a slippery slope.

Wouldn't he be better taking his concerns about the law to a higher court or official to get a definative answer.

The Sheriff is an elected official in most places, and considered the Chief Law Enforcement Officer and Conservator of the Peace. If it won't stop with the Sheriff, it won't stop.