205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 02/01/2019 - I have received many questions about I-1639 and would like to clarify my position on the matter. There are many problems with this initiative and I will focus on one of Constitutional issues.
Like our military, Sheriffs, Elected Officials and Commissioned Law Enforcement Officers have all sworn Oaths which obligate us to preserving, supporting, protecting and defending the Constitution. This pledge does not include disclaimers or variances.
As Sheriff I am responsible for the protection of the public and the law is one of the primary tools we use. At issue with I-1639 is that, as written, we cannot apply most of the provisions.
The Second Amendment grants individual rights to keep and bear arms, not specific to hunting or organized target sports, but for individual protection. I-1639 asks my Deputies to criminally charge a citizen if, without their knowledge, someone steels one of their lawfully owned guns and uses it in the commission of a crime. We will not do this. Just as we would not charge the owner of a truck if someone stole their keys and used it to mow down pedestrians.
We need to protect people from violent criminals; we don’t do this by blaming law abiding citizens for the actions of those criminals. We don’t do this by blaming the tool used for committing violent crime, be it a hammer, a car, a gun or a knife. We blame the individual who committed the crime and we hold them accountable.
There are a number of lawsuits and appeals related to I-639. Until the constitutional issues are resolved by the courts and the dust settles, I am instructing my deputies to take no enforcement. When it is resolved by the courts, I will work closely with our Prosecutor for the best lawful course of action.
Our mission is clear, “To protect all people, keep the peace and uphold the Constitution of the United States.”
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
###
Contact: Sheriff Dana 509-962-7615 gene.dana@co.Kittitas.wa.us