Title
AN ORDINANCE establishing a sensible law enforcement policy in King County regarding looting and other related crimes surrounding public demonstrations, natural disasters and human-made or accidental disasters.
Body
PREAMBLE:
King County and other Washington taxpayers have been burdened by the substantial costs of investigating, arresting, prosecuting and jailing people for charges involving looting and other related crimes surrounding public demonstrations, natural disasters and human-made or accidental disasters.
Taxpayers and businesses have been burdened by the substantial costs of cleanup, repair, refurbishing and restoration of public and private properties caused by people involved in looting and other related crimes surrounding public demonstrations, natural disasters and human-made or accidental disasters.
There have been numerous incidents here and across America both recently and over the past several decades related to looting and other related crimes surrounding public demonstrations, natural disasters and human-made or accidental disasters.
The failures and harms of not being adequately prepared, organized or disciplined to sensibly deal with looting and other related crimes surrounding public demonstrations, natural disasters and human-made or accidental disasters have fallen heavily on citizens of King County.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. A. The sheriff's office and prosecuting attorney's office shall make the investigation, arrest and prosecution of looting and other related crimes surrounding public demonstrations, natural disasters and human-made or accidental disasters, the highest law enforcement priority.
B. For purposes of this section:
1. "Human-made or accidental disasters" includes fires, explosions, wrecks involving trains, boats, planes, automobiles and other vehicle and release of toxic materials;
2. "Looting" includes theft, robbery, burglary, arson, trespass, assault, rape...

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