by Diane Rufino, February 20, 2019

I wrote the following Resolution for the North Carolina General Assembly. I shared it with my state representatives with the intent to acknowledge the increased risk our members of law enforcement face in this new violent era as well as to take a stronger stand at protecting them.

RESOLUTION: AMENDING NORTH CAROLINA’S CRIMINAL STATUTES TO MAKE THE KILLING OF A POLICE OFFICER OR STATE TROOPER A CAPITAL CRIME

Whereas, the wonton attacks and shootings of police officers is on the rise;

And whereas, the culture of hate and distrust of law enforcement has reached an all-time high since the days of the civil rights era, intentionally perpetrated by race-baiting groups and other politically-motivated progressive elements;

Whereas, police officers take an oath to “protect and serve the community” without exception to which members of society need to be protected and served;

Whereas, police officers and state troopers put their lives on the line every day in service of their community and the state;

Whereas, police officers and state troopers assume the risk of harm and death in the everyday course of their jobs. Theirs is not the option of refusing to engage a hostile individual, a criminal, or a would-be killer;

Whereas, in addition to assuming the risk, police officers and state troopers bear the additional danger of themselves being the target of violence in many cases, simply because they wear the uniform of law enforcement;

Whereas, the intentional killing of a human being meets the elements of First Degree, or Capital Murder and the murder of a police officer or state trooper is particularly heinous because of their obligation to wear the uniform, to identify as a member of law enforcement, and to confront danger without question;

Therefore, because of this assumption of risk, this inability to walk away, or to ignore a potentially violent confrontation or potentially violent individual, and the fact that they themselves, as men and women in uniform, are targets for violence and death,     the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association                 strongly recommends that the North Carolina criminal statutes be amended to make the killing of a police officer or state trooper a capital crime, punishable by the death penalty.