Frustrations continue over mandates

Last week, the deputy secretary of the state Department of Corrections sent a mass email to all staff, incarcerated inmates and interested parties — including me — informing everyone Corrections had revised its COVID protocols for inmates.

Minutes after reading the DOC email, I sent an email to a DOC official and wrote:

“It is my understanding that all DOC employees must be vaccinated. Further is it true all inmates do not have to be vaccinated? At this time what percentage of inmates are vaccinated?”

The official soon replied with this: “You are correct there is no Vaccine mandate for individuals who are incarcerated.”

Let’s see if I have this straight: state Department of Corrections employees were forced to choose between a vaccine and termination, on the grounds that it would slow the spread of COVID. Yet, approximately 950 inmates had their sentences commuted or were transferred back into their communities for the same reason.

They could get the vaccine, but it was a choice, not a requirement.

Think of all the public employees who have fewer rights than an inmate, even if they were volunteers. Members of our military have to be vaccinated.

But out of all these groups, who gets the pass? Inmates.

Something is wrong with this picture.

Last week, I also read a guest column by several city mayors in Snohomish County that was published in a Western Washington newspaper. In their op-ed piece, the mayors expressed their “growing concern for the safety of our communities due to the tide of rising crime in our cities, especially violent crime.”

Two sections of the mayors’ guest editorial really stand out:

“Recent legislation, such as Senate Bill 5476 and the Washington v. Blake decision by our state supreme court, have greatly hindered our ability to curtail drug possession in our communities. SB 5476 essentially makes it legal to possess drugs until a person is stopped by police three times.

“The first two times, police must ‘refer’ the person to drug treatment, but they aren’t required to actually go. So instead of getting drug users into treatment — presumably the intent of the law — the two-referral requirement creates a situation where drug users can possess and use drugs anywhere with no consequences.

“As a result, we’re all seeing increased drug use on our streets, spikes in property and violent crimes, and tragically, increased drug overdoses and deaths.”

Here is the other part worth a look:

“A consequence of all this is an erosion of public trust. ... When that trust is broken, and people stop believing things will change, they lose confidence in the public safety partnership. This can lead to disengagement, apathy and ultimately communities that are far less safe.”

Next year’s Legislature needs to take action to improve public safety. Our residents deserve nothing less.

— Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, represents the 9th Legislative District, which includes Adams County and Ritzville. Email him at [email protected].