Prince William County is watching multiple bills in the General Assembly that its legal consultant says could have an adverse impact on law enforcement and taxpayers.
The first is a bill that would allow anyone who feels like a police officer has deprived them of their rights the ability to sue the police officer and the jurisdiction in which the officer is employed. The bill by Delegate Jeffery Bourne (D-Richmond) passed the House of Delegates with a 49-45 vote with three abstentions and is expected to now go to the Senate.
An officer could be sued whether or not the alleged rights violation took place while the officer was on duty. The legislation could clear the way for more lawsuits against police and the county, warned John Stirrup, the county’s legislative consultant with Alcalde and Fay public affairs firm.
“Anyone who has a personal vendetta against a police officer can make a complaint and have them terminated?” asked Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega.
“That’s my read on this,” replied Stirrup.
Acting county police chief Jarad Phelps weighed in and explained that, currently, complaints against officers are categorized as founded or unfounded. “Founded complaints are when some type of event has occurred,” said Phelps.
If officers are automatically penalized for unfounded, or alleged misconduct, that would hamper the department’s ability to recruit and keep officers on the force.
“If the language is just ‘alleged,’ it is extremely concerning,” Phelps added. “It will have an impact on [the officers’] psyche alone, and it will have a dramatic impact on the ability to recruit new officers into the field.”
The county is also watching legislation that would create police citizen review baords, which would have the authority to discipline and terminate police officers. Unlike citizen advisory boards now in place in Fairfax and Virginia Beach, the citizen review boards would have suboena poswer, and its authority would superceed the chief of police and top county or city admninistrators.
“So, a civilian who has no experience in law enfrocement can be makinbg a determination that trumps the policies the chief of police has in place?” said Brentsville District Sueprvisor Jeanine Lawson. “… this is ludicrous.”
The legislation, from Delegate Marcus Simon (D-Falls Church), mandates the review boards be in place across the state by July 2021.
In the Senate, county leaders are watching legislation from Scott Surrovell (D-Mount Vernon, Stafford, Woodbridge) that would remove mandatory sentences for those who assault police, firefighters, and judges. The bill would reduce severity of the punishment to a Class 6 felony, punishable by one to five years in jail.
Lawson suggested the senator include elected officials in the bill. Currently, assaults on elected officials is considered a Class 5 felony, punishable by as many as 10 years in prison, according to Stirrup.
Surrovell told Potomac Local News today he has not studied assaults on elected officials in order to incorporate it into his bill.
Author
Recent Stories
Prince William County is extending its sustainability partnership with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP). VEEP is a program that encourages Virginia businesses “to go beyond…
The Republican Delegation of Spotsylvania issued a joint statement praising Governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent announcement of more than $10 million in grants through the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) that will help Spotsylvania families.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors discussing the amendment decision at the July 16 meeting. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors removed the loan limit on the University…
Starting Sunday, July 28, drivers on Route 3 westbound in Fredericksburg will experience brief overnight delays and a temporary rough ride as crews begin resurfacing the road and updating lane markings.
Are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious? Our dedicated team of mental health professionals is here to help you navigate life’s challenges and achieve emotional balance from the comfort of your home. We offer a wide range of services tailored to meet your unique needs, including individual therapy, couples counseling, group therapy, and specialized programs for anxiety, depression, addiction and trauma.
At Peaceful Mind Solutions we have a team of therapists ready to help you with your mental health needs. We offer a free 15-minute consultation to ensure our services fit your goals. We used an evidence-based approach to work on the root of your problem so we can help you get the mental clarity you need.
At our practice, we use Cognitive behavioral therapy. (CBT) is a great way to identify negative thought patterns and then change them with the help of a therapist working through them each week. We will give you the tools to make lasting changes in your life so you can get back to living without roadblocks.
On June 22, 2024, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Ball, hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Xi Alpha Lambda Chapter, seated in Prince William County, VA, awarded $73,000 in scholarships to 17 students through the chapter’s foundation, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund. These scholarships will support their college journeys at prestigious universities such as Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, Purdue University, Howard University, Shenandoah University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Cornell University, Spelman College, North Carolina A&T State University, and Norfolk State University. The event highlighted the commitment of the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund to fostering academic excellence and supporting the educational aspirations of young scholars in our community.
