I don't always agree with Sheriff Clark, but I love this press release. Scroll down towards the end of his release (bold and italics added)....
Sheriff Clarke Urges Senate to Pass ‘Castle Doctrine Law’
Milwaukee, WI –
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. today urged members of the Wisconsin state senate to pass Senate Bill 79, which would protect people in their own homes when defending themselves from a would-be attacker if deadly force is used.
“There is no place more sacred in our system of justice, as evidenced by our Constitution, nor is there any place in which a person has more of a right to be safe and secure from the threats of the outside world, than in their own home,” Clarke said.
“With the recently enacted Personal Protection Act and the proposed ‘Castle Law,’ I am encouraged that our lawmakers are starting to “get it” when it comes to law-abiding people not surrendering the upper hand to the criminal element. I’m through telling law-abiding people to automatically run first from crime. I’m not going to tell anyone what they should do under similar circumstances, but the only time I am going to run from my own home is if it’s on fire or flooding. If an intruder enters, my first move will not be to dial 9-1-1, it is going to be protecting and defending my family and myself. Once that threat of an intruder has been identified and neutralized, then I’ll call for police. If that means it is after I shoot the intruder, then so be it. Telling or expecting people to call 9-1-1 first and then hide in a closet waiting for the police to arrive is silly. What happens if the intruder is between you and the door to the home, do we expect people to jump out a second story window?
“I have taken this position because with the lenient circuit courts in Milwaukee County citizens can no longer rely on protection from their institutions of justice, which today are more concerned about the welfare of the criminals than they are about law-abiding citizens. It disgusts me beyond belief that certain public officials and criminal advocates trust career criminals (many of them violent) with probation, parole, early release, low bail and deferred prosecution, but they don’t trust law-abiding citizens to handle their right to defend themselves. Someone needs to remind those public officials of their duty to represent law-abiding people as well.”
Sheriff Clarke Urges Senate to Pass ‘Castle Doctrine Law’
Milwaukee, WI –
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. today urged members of the Wisconsin state senate to pass Senate Bill 79, which would protect people in their own homes when defending themselves from a would-be attacker if deadly force is used.
“There is no place more sacred in our system of justice, as evidenced by our Constitution, nor is there any place in which a person has more of a right to be safe and secure from the threats of the outside world, than in their own home,” Clarke said.
“With the recently enacted Personal Protection Act and the proposed ‘Castle Law,’ I am encouraged that our lawmakers are starting to “get it” when it comes to law-abiding people not surrendering the upper hand to the criminal element. I’m through telling law-abiding people to automatically run first from crime. I’m not going to tell anyone what they should do under similar circumstances, but the only time I am going to run from my own home is if it’s on fire or flooding. If an intruder enters, my first move will not be to dial 9-1-1, it is going to be protecting and defending my family and myself. Once that threat of an intruder has been identified and neutralized, then I’ll call for police. If that means it is after I shoot the intruder, then so be it. Telling or expecting people to call 9-1-1 first and then hide in a closet waiting for the police to arrive is silly. What happens if the intruder is between you and the door to the home, do we expect people to jump out a second story window?
“I have taken this position because with the lenient circuit courts in Milwaukee County citizens can no longer rely on protection from their institutions of justice, which today are more concerned about the welfare of the criminals than they are about law-abiding citizens. It disgusts me beyond belief that certain public officials and criminal advocates trust career criminals (many of them violent) with probation, parole, early release, low bail and deferred prosecution, but they don’t trust law-abiding citizens to handle their right to defend themselves. Someone needs to remind those public officials of their duty to represent law-abiding people as well.”