Charter Amendment 6 would permit a drastic reduction of safety for much of King County and could hinder the level of service and reduce emergency response times.
Amendment 6 gives a few politicians power to fundamentally change the mission of our non-partisan Sheriff and allows a “partisan” County Council to defund or dismantle the office. This change was sponsored with Amendment 5 that takes away your right to vote for Sheriff.
The King County Sheriff’s Office serves cities, rural and unincorporated areas, and protects public transit. They lead the region’s response on human trafficking, help homeless citizens get much-needed assistance, find and rescue missing persons, respond to 911, and serve protection orders in domestic violence cases. Our Sheriff and deputies often help people on the worst day of their lives. They need increased support and funding, not less.
This effort to defund or dismantle the King County Sheriff’s Office is an overreaction to real concerns people have about the role of law enforcement in our community. Ask yourself: would my family and neighborhood be safer if we give this power to politicians with an unknown agenda that could make us less safe? Please vote No on Charter Amendment 6.
Dave Reichert, Kathy Lambert, Rob McKenna, saveoursheriff.org