Sheriff Bill Benedict recently stated his opposition on a law duly recently enacted by the voters of Washington by a majority of more than 59 percent and it sounds like he is planning to decide at a later date if he will enforce it.
He said he wants to see whether the courts determine if the measures in Initiative 1639 are constitutional.
You can find his statement on the Clallam County Sheriff Department’s Facebook page.
I-1639 establishes the same requirements for purchasing and owning a semi-automatic weapon that already exist for handguns.
It requires firearm dealers to notify buyers of the risks associated with guns.
It incentivizes safe storage of firearms.
I’ve generally thought Sheriff Benedict was doing a good job, but this action gives me pause.
It’s mysterious that he has chosen to make this announcement now that the law has already passed. Incidentally, a majority of Clallam County voters voted for it.
Who is he signaling?
Does he truly believe that as sheriff he is not obliged to enforce all the laws, but rather has the power to pick and choose which laws he will enforce?
Paula Barnes,
Sequim