Daily Question: Should the Public Still Be Required to Help Police Officers in Need?
A bill by Senator Robert Hertzberg was signed last week by Governor Gavin Newsom that no longer requires a person 18-years-old or older to help an officer who requests assistance.
According to the SB 192:
Existing law makes an able-bodied person 18 years of age or older who neglects or refuses to join the posse comitatus or power of the county, by neglecting or refusing to aid and assist, as described, in making an arrest, retaking into custody a person who has escaped from arrest or imprisonment, or preventing a breach of the peace or the commission of any criminal offense, after being lawfully required by a uniformed peace officer or a judge, guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to punishment by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $1,000.
19 comments
No! They should help on their own. We should all help law enforcement and any others. Why not?
Well, it worked well for almost 150 years. It will only embolden those already anti-cop types and keep people from assisting, since now that the law is not in effect, there is less protection from liability in assisting an officer. It wasn’t a pressing law that needed to be revoked. It was a law that allowed officers, especially in great many rural areas of the state to call upon the assistance of citizens to help. Now that it is abolished, how many people are willing to risk the liability to assist an officer without the cover of law?
It should be a REQUIREMENT for civilian to help our law enforcement in any way they ask. We need to work together to stem the criminal element which has invested our cities.
Ooooops! That should be INFESTED, not invested ……….. even thought criminals DO invest in making life miserable for us. Sorry about that!
Hopefully, it’s Robert or Gavin that the officer is trying to assist. Maybe their families? Then we’ll see if they still think not assisting officers in need is a good idea.
SAD state we live in.
It should be voluntary. I’m pro law enforcement, but no one should be required. Not that it was ever enforced.
This Bill will create nothing but, more segregation between our police officers and the public. Nice Job Hertzberg and Newsom!
Ya think?. I’m glad I’m retired. Took on a crazy loon at a gas station back in west Pittsburg back in the day. It wasn’t going well until a couple of guys jumped in to help. Thank you again. Had they not been there I would have shot the POS w no regrets. Before you respond ask yourself….Are you a lion or a zebra?
Civilians should be required to help law enforcement! When an officer needs help, it should be there immediately BEFORE other law enforcement units arrive. Also, citizens should be helpful in acting as witnesses to crime. Our law enforcement needs all the help it can get from both human and K9 “officers.”
Hertzberg has always been a total jerk!
Requiring that you help the police is ridiculous. It’s a good way to get shot in today’s society. If you want to step up to the plate – I might do it. But everyone? Get real. Some people are a hinderance, even if they’re able bodied. They’ll make it worse.
Don’t misconstrue this question! By helping the police means that you COOPERATE when your information is needed to remove a criminal from society. It does not mean you actually do police work alongside them.
If people have information which will aid the police in their investigation, then they should provide it.
I’m NOT misconstruing the question. I wasn’t referring to just helping physically. Some people will lie. Others will make things up. Then there are those with mental health issues, loss of memory, etc. Not everyone is willing to cooperate, and for those who want to (but are a hinderance – mental illness, etc.) they aren’t helping, they’re hindering. You’re misconstruing what I had to say, so I’m setting you straight. For those of us willing to help, and have the ability to be helpful – DO it. For those who don’t (they’re out there) don’t get involved. Once again, you’ll make it WORSE. Mandatory cooperation only makes sense if you’re the suspect or the victim. And, yes – I’m a moderate Republican. And for those who are anti-cop (criminals, far left like Newsome, etc.) you should be thankful that they’re NOT cooperating. We don’t want or need their help, nor can you force them to change their mindset. Any more than you’re willing to change yours.
Clearly states able bodied Nick.
Of course if you “cant” legitimately assist and it might pose more of an issue then stay clear and use your cell phone to call for more officers not VIDEO. If you don’t jump right in to assist an officer in need you have issues.
If you can’t identify a person in need in any profession and help them then your a joke.
These bills etc. are aimed at weak minded people to capture their votes so that these idiotic politicians can keep their seats warm. Wake up
Yes you should help the police arrest someone if the officer needs help.all the liberal dumbass government here is doing is making it to where no law enforcement will be in California. soon people are going to rape and pillage in this state. I’m trying to get the heck out of this hellish state, because there’s way to many liberals here. This state sucks, it is horrible living here. They pass a bill making every crime accept murder and a few other ones a misdemeanor and you get a ticket. Then they pass a bill making you get background checks just to buy ammo.now they try to pass a bill to screw the police over and make it to where you do not have to help the police!!!!! Screw California and it’s liberal people/government here. Get out of here people. this state is going to be hell within the next five years.
So accurate, shit hole. Cops scratch you a ticket for possessing a stolen firearm these days, but let’s take the guns away from my law abiding dad and grandfather. They target upland game birds, down right killers.
Pathetic Democratic following. You dems vote with your emotions rather than business sense. You will soon fail yourselves if you don’t wake up. This stuff is not a game.
Every Police Officer and Teacher should leave California with the Crap laws the CA government are passing.
As was said, the law was used to protect a civilian that assisted the police in a detention, apprehension, etc. People weren’t being prosecuted for not helping. To cancel this law is just another way to make the officers role more difficult and dangerous, but more than anything distance the public from law enforcement. Newsom continues to show his true colors.
If I see a cop that is about to get shot, you can see me speeding away to save my life because in commiefornia you cannot really own any good guns to shoot the criminal so yeah.
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