By Sen. Scott Cyrway

Earlier this week, you may have heard about some bills before the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee that would limit law enforcement officers’ ability to do their job. The supporters of these bills believe that law enforcement personnel should be handcuffed so criminals, who they believe are simply victims of circumstance, can be protected from accountability.

Hello, I’m Senator Scott Cyrway of Kennebec County. I have the honor of representing the citizens of Senate District 16 and I sit on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

I served for over 30 years as a sheriff’s deputy and corrections officer; and I know, from personal experience, that the mission of Maine’s law enforcement professionals is keeping Mainers safe and protecting them.

Often, this requires collaboration, called mutual aid, between local, county, state and federal law enforcement. This cooperation is crucial for departments to fulfill the public safety needs of the communities they serve. No police department in Maine is interested in wasting taxpayer dollars to go after law-abiding individuals, regardless of immigration status.

Currently, local law enforcement can decide what the best course of action is when they encounter an undocumented suspect during the normal course of their duties. The bills heard by the Judiciary Committee would require police to turn a blind eye when they encounter undocumented suspects, regardless of what criminal activity they may be engaged in. This is inherently dangerous for law-enforcement and the public.

While the supporters of these bills claim they are aimed at preventing local police from helping heavy-handed federal immigration authorities, they would actually prevent our officers from enforcing the law fairly and equally.

It’s not just in immigration related cases that radical activists want to reduce accountability for those who violate our laws. Bills have been introduced this legislative session that aim to change Maine’s Criminal Code to make it harder for prosecutors to pursue cases, lower sentences for violent offenders, and limit restrictions that judges can impose on individuals sentenced to probation.

These policy proposals are the same ones we’ve seen in places like California and New York. Maine is the 2^nd safest state in the country after New Hampshire. We should not take the path of these states to lower accountability for criminals and decrease the safety and quality of life for law-abiding Mainers.

Again, this has been Senator Scott Cyrway. Thank you for listening and enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend.

Sen. Scott Cyrway represents Senate District 16, which consists of Albion, Oakland, Fairfield, Waterville and Winslow. He serves as the Senate Republican Lead on the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.