Sheriffs in Colorado are fighting back against what they feel would strip some citizens of their constitutional right to bear arms.
At issue is a red flag law which was recently passed by the legislature and will soon be signed by their Democrat governor. That new law would allow a person’s firearms to be taken away from them with a judge’s consent.
Here’s more:
FOX NEWS – One Colorado sheriff says he’d rather go to jail than enforce a gun-control bill passed by the state legislature, expected to become law. Known commonly as a “Red Flag” law, the measure would allow judges to take guns away from people who are found to be a danger to themselves or others.
Weld County Sheriff Steven Reams said it would go too far. “It has so many constitutional questions I can’t go forward in good faith and carry out a law that I feel puts constituents’ constitutional rights at risk.”
Reams, a Republican, is not alone. Half of Colorado’s 64 counties have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries where the measure would not be enforced.
“They could sentence me to my own jail,” Reams said, “fine me, or hold a contempt hearing to further this argument along, and honestly I think any of those possibilities are out there.”
Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, responded to criticism of the measure at a news conference last week, saying: “The sheriff is also not a law making position in our state, it is a law enforcement division.” Polis is expected to sign the legislation, adding Colorado to the 14 other states and the District of Columbia which already have similar laws known formally as Extreme Risk Protection Orders.
The Colorado version would allow family members or others to petition a judge to remove people’s guns if they are deemed an extreme risk to themselves or others. If the judge agrees, each person would lose the right to purchase or possess firearms for 364 days. They would be able to file a protest to request the order be reversed.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, has stated publicly that sheriffs who don’t want to enforce state laws should resign, but strong words may be all they face.
“We have local-control law enforcement in our state, that is a good thing,” Polis pointed out, adding, “Law enforcement agencies have discretion as to prioritization of resources.”
From the report it sounds like around 32 of the 64 counties have already declared themselves as second amendment sanctuaries, which is awesome.
And from what the governor says about ‘local-control’, they might be able to ignore this new law in many cases.
But one thing is for sure. You can believe this law is going to be a huge political issue every time a Sheriff comes up for reelection going forward, especially in these 32 counties.