Dori spars with lawmaker who calls Washington ‘model for entire nation’ in policing

It’s COVID. Or it’s drugs? Blame it on domestic violence. Or gang violence? Are new police accountability laws successful, or do we need fixes?

With hearings set to open Tuesday for the state’s 2022 legislative session, lawmakers are facing pent-up pushback from constituents and police officers about crime increases following laws enacted in 2021.

This became clear Monday when the Dori Monson Show hosted state Rep. Roger Goodman (D-Kirkland), who chairs the state House Public Safety Committee.

Many show listeners claim last year’s measures fueled a crime surge, while tying the hands of police officers. But Goodman calls the new laws “a very good thing.”

Goodman cited what he called a “more than 60% reduction in deaths at the hands of police in the last year – a very rapid decline.”

But Dori pointed to 2021 laws as a factor in the death of an Auburn mom at the hands of her son, and a Pierce County parking lot murder that police couldn’t immediately pursue – despite seeing the alleged killer feet away from the victim.

Dori and Goodman faced off, but never agreed on the real causes of local and statewide crime increases. The two even got fired up over Dori calling felons with warrants “bad guys who are getting away.” Goodman called Dori’s wording his “game.”

Goodman said gang crime is less about drugs and more about COVID. He added that gang suppression is effective, but it has to be done in person. For that reason, suppression and intervention aren’t effective during COVID, and gang members are “killing each other, which is really unfortunate.”

Goodman also said COVID is to blame for domestic violence killings: “People are cooped up, not liking one another,” and with access to deadly weapons.

Meanwhile, Goodman told Dori’s listeners that he “spent months on the road, giving (police officers) peace of mind for doing the right thing” as lawmakers approached this legislative session.

Dori cited drugs and gangs – tied to lax border restrictions between the United States and Mexico – as a primary cause of crime and violence in Washington.

And without being able to make simple traffic stops, Dori asks, how can cops track down potential felons or those with outstanding warrants?

As for policing in Washington overall, Goodman said: “We’ve made tremendous progress — I think it’s a model for the nation.”

Dori disagreed: “When you say this is a model for the nation and you already have to fix it, … it seems to be about helping the criminals.”

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from noon – 3 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.