‘No way for a police officer to act’: Former sheriff condemns masked policing as ICE advertises in Seattle

TV advertisements promoting a $50,000 signing bonus for local law enforcement officers to join Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have recently aired in Seattle and other sanctuary cities, claiming officers are “ordered to stand down while dangerous illegals walk free.”

Former King County Sheriff John Urquhart asserted that he does not have a problem with the advertisements, calling it “fair game” to advertise for the department. However, Urquhart raised concerns for officers making the switch simply to hide their identities on duty.

“I do have a problem with any current police officer who thinks dressing up like SEAL Team Six and putting a mask on to deal with the public is the right way to do police work,” Urquhart said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “They should not be doing that. It’s intimidating. That is no way for a police officer to act. If you think that’s the right way, then go join ICE, because I don’t want you in my department.”

ICE’s impact on crime reporting and public safety

When asked about ICE’s recruiting campaign and how it may weaken community trust with law enforcement inside immigrant communities, Urquhart deemed it a “threat.”

“It’s such a threat, especially with immigrant communities, documented or undocumented,” Urquhart said. “There’s such a fragile connection between the police and the community that they oftentimes don’t make a distinction between local county sheriffs, local and state police, and federal ICE agents. We’re all lumped together, and if they don’t trust ICE, they’re not going to trust local police.”

Urquhart directly linked immigrants’ perception of law enforcement to an increase in unreported crime, claiming that fear of deportation makes immigrants less likely to come forward as a witness or victim.

“Our job is to reduce crime and the fear of crime. If people are afraid to come to us as a witness or a victim, we’re not going to be able to solve crimes if they think they’re going to be deported,” Urquhart said. “If they think we’re going to turn them over to ICE, then they’re absolutely not going to come forward.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.