PICS+ Speaker Comments Spokane Sheriff's Office protest deputy's remarks on MRAP + the term "constitutionalists" +militarization

Sheriff Knezovich responds to deputies remarks

Sat, 20 Dec 2014 20:55:05 GMT

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POKANE, Wash. – The Spokane County Sheriff's Office released a statement Saturday regarding a Spokane County Sheriff's Deputy use of the term "constitutionalist" in a way that implied that he viewed citizens who uphold the constitution as a threat.

The deputy in a video said the department's new military surplus mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle (MRAP) is needed for dealing with "constitutionalists" among others who stockpile weapons and ammunition.

The video since it was posted on YouTube has gained nearly 120,000 views in the past three days.

Sheriff Knezovich said those were a poor use of words and that his statement does not represent the views of the Sheriff or his deputies, nor did it accurately represent the opinion of the deputy that made the statement.

Knezovich continued and said that perhaps the appropriate word would have been "extremist"