Local officials share gun law concerns on 60 Minutes interview

From Staff Reports

Area residents may have done a double take Sunday when 60 Minutes aired on CBS. They likely recognized area and state law enforcement officials being interviewed.

Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley, Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor and Jefferson City PA Association President Steve Sokoloff were among others discussing the Missouri SAPA Law.

The law, known as the Second Amendment Preservation Act or House Bill 85, prohibits state and local cooperation with federal officials that attempt to enforce any laws, rules, orders, or actions that violate the Second Amendment rights of Missourians.

While those interviewed were prohibited from talking about the interviews prior to the airing of the episode, they have already talked with Daily American Republic staff about their concerns.

Local officials have said an unintended consequence of the law was to limit the ability prosecute criminals on federal gun charges. Lawsuits have been filed against local law enforcement who have attempted to cooperate federal officials following arrests.

In a Daily American Republic news article, Whiteley recently said, “The intent (of the law) I totally agree with. We do not need more gun laws period. Under the current Washington Administration, they’re trying to push gun laws through that do not need to be there.

“But I think in trying to get something through in a hurry, without — in my opinion — thoroughly researching with law enforcement, our prosecutors’ association and so forth, that there were some unforeseen obstacles that came up as a result of this, as evidence by the suit that was filed in Ripley County...”

“We would have already been forwarding information to the feds for possible prosecution,” Whiteley said, following an arrest this fall. “(The individual) had already been in federal prison for gun violations. And the fact that we can’t forward that now, without taking a chance of getting fined $50,000 per officer for assisting the federal authorities, I don’t think that’s what the people intended for that law to do.”

Proctor said in the same article, “The law has the potential to take vital funds away from already struggling law enforcement agencies and place it in the hands of dangerous criminals. I have faith that our leaders in Jefferson City will take an honest look at how this law is negatively impacting law enforcement officers and make changes to it that will enable them to take dangerous criminals off the street.”

In the DAR article, Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs echoed Whiteley’s sentiments on HB 85.

“It is a law that had been a good intent, but has a very negative result on Law enforcement,” Dobbs said. “In an attempt to protect the gun rights of law abiding citizens, it has done the opposite and this law will benefit violent criminals more than anyone.”

Dobbs said, he and every other sheriffs in Missouri are strong supporters of the Second Amendment, but HB 85 was unnecessary.

“With this law in effect, every law enforcement officer is now in danger of facing a civil suit for cooperating with federal authorities,” Dobbs said.

“Criminals routinely intimidate, extort and sometimes even kill witnesses to avoid prosecution. Therefore many tunes, our only alternatives to take violent criminals off the street is through federal prosecution...Violent felons have no rights owning a firearm — and we must be able to cooperate with federal authorities to take these people off of the streets.”

For more on the 60 Minutes interview, visit www.darnews.com Monday and see our Tuesday print edition.