Letter From Wenatchee Police Chief Asks For Retraction From State Legislator

Wenatchee Police Chief Steve Crown is using his position as head a statewide organization to call on Democratic State Representative Jesse Johnson to retract a statement on social media. 

Crown is the current president of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, who sent a letter to Johnson. 

In it, he asked Johnson to retract a statement that Crown called inflammatory, dangerous, and divisive. 

The social media post Crown sites refers to legislation passed by the legislature in 2021 that has been heavily criticized by various police agencies in the state. 

Crown's letter was circulated to the media by Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett, who is the current president of the Washington State Sheriff’s Association. 

In the letter, Crown claims that Johnson wrote the following response in social media.  

“The legislature did what needed to be done and some police got angry because they’re culture must shift and they can’t go around killing people.” 

Crown called the statement inflammatory, dangerous, and divisive, and asked for a retraction. 

"Our state’s law enforcement community works to defend all rights, serves to protect public safety each day, and is deserving of respect and honor, while working to improve the public service of law enforcement," said Crown. 

A call to Representative Johnson's office by KPQ News was not immediately returned. 

Crown's letter refers to House Bill 1310 and House Bill 1054, which were authored in part and strongly by backed by Representative Johnson. 

The bills that were passed into law limit police response during pursuit of possible suspects and place other restriction police response to possible crimes. 

The legislation received heavy support from interest groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, as a necessary step against police brutality.