The Barbant Administration has enjoyed a honeymoon with the public during their early days, with an unprecedented approval rate and a strong public presence on social media and in person. The Legislature, too, has been rated higher by the public in recent months. After a string of disastrous Executive teams mismanaging the state, San Andreans can finally relax with the knowledge that a competent hand is at the wheel.
But despite these successes, one recent bill has sparked controversy. Representative Barber has been vocal about his intent to write a “State Your Reason” act, which has yet to be posted as of the time of this article’s publication. This theoretical bill would require officers to state the reason for a traffic stop before proceeding with the rest of their interaction. Barber has touted this bill as a way to “promote communication” and prevent potential self-incrimination. Critics claim that the bill will lead to more violent encounters at traffic stops, and put officers at serious — or even fatal — risk.
Representative Barber, to his credit, was present at the Dec. 1 legislative meeting to answer members of the public regarding their concerns about the bill. Useless News’ recording of the meeting is below:
Barber was unable to mention any specific incident or landmark case that such a bill could answer. Barber was also unable to point to any data or consistent patterns related to traffic stops. When questioned further on police conduct, Barber stated: “No, I cannot name specific names, dates, or times when people have shared concerns about traffic stops, or law enforcement, or whatever there is.”
Instead, he remained vague, stating that over his three-and-a-half years in the state, he had heard many complaints about police, which had led to a “mood” shared by the populace. The sole piece of evidence that Barber could produce was the Shout News Politipoll, which currently shows an approximately 30% public disapproval rate in law enforcement.
Indeed, while Barber is unable to come up with a single use case for his bill, he is able to articulate a retributive attitude towards law enforcement. Barber’s statements at the legislative meeting betray a chilling attitude: legislation that hampers the police is good, regardless of whatever side effects that bill might have. In the case of police being put at risk of being shot, it’s not a bug — it’s a feature. Much like a witch hunt, the victim is seen by the persecutor as no victim at all — instead, Barber’s rationale implies that these officers would deserve it.
There’s a grain of truth to what Barber is saying — law enforcement have failed to maintain a consistent line of communication with the public and press over the last three years. There have been recent improvements in that area, which are at risk thanks to not just Barber’s bill, but the dismissive attitude he took in response to long, personal testimonies by Garry Shoeman and Jay Lamb. During my own history in the state, I have rarely advocated for the police. I think that there parts of Barber’s philosophy that are correct.
In a call with Shout News, Governor Barbant confirmed that he would be prepared to veto a “State Your Reason” bill if the circumstances called for it, and it doesn’t appear as if any other Representative in the 11th Congress is willing to lend their vote to this bill. My concern is that the damage may already be done, and our newly functional government will fall back into in-fighting, finger pointing, and recriminations. If Rep. Barber wants to try and watch the watchmen, he should make sure his own grasp on public policy is up to snuff.
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