Republic Police Chief Denounces Gun Laws in Washington State

By Ready to Fire News On Nov 21, 2018

With the country’s media full of stories of outrageous laws that are set to limit the Second Amendment rights of hard-working Americans, it’s a breath of fresh air to see one Washington lawman decide to take a stand.

The county police chief of Republic, Washington has vowed he will not enforce the restrictive law 1639 that recently went into effect in his home state. He publicly stated on Facebook that he felt the law went against the Constitution of the United States as well as the Washington state Constitution — documents he notes that he was sworn to uphold. He firmly stated his belief that the law and other restrictive gun laws will soon be overturned in the courts, but until that time, he’s going to help ensure that Americans retain their Constitutional rights to keep and bear arms.

On September 25, 2018, I-1639 went into effect — a law that would require extensive checks and waiting periods for individuals who want to purchase semiautomatic rifles. There are also restrictions that require anyone who purchases a semiautomatic gun to go through (and pass) and gun safety course. While that doesn’t sound too outrageous, the remainder of the law is where much of the problem lies.

The initiative, passed throughout the state, allows for highly restrictive gun storage laws that include stiff penalties for gun owners whose weapon is stolen and utilized in crimes of any kind. What’s worse is that this law refers to every type of firearm — handguns included — and is likely to cost gun owners a fair bit of money as they seek to upgrade their storage boxes to stay within the requirements of the state law.

While these laws are continuing to pop up throughout the country, the National Rifle Association will be actively fighting them in court — and likely winning if the cases make it all the way to the now gun-friendly Supreme Court. Trump’s well-placed additions to the nation’s highest court are likely to provide an additional buffer against the attack on Second Amendment rights, giving Americans a fallback position for some of these more confining requirements. The ten-day waiting period that I-1639 requires for the purchase of semiautomatic weapons and enhanced background checks are considered highly intrusive not only of Second Amendment rights, but on the right to privacy as well.

It’s good to know that there are still men and women in uniform who are willing to go against the lawmakers, and do what they feel is right to protect the people that they serve. This brave decision by the police chief of tiny Republic, Washington — population 1,100 — should serve as a shining beacon of example for others who are unwilling to buck the status quo to protect our rights.

~ Ready to Fire News