By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The House of Representatives passed the Justice in Policing Act on Thursday, but Kansas First District Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall voted against the measure. As the son of the former El Dorado, Kansas police chief, Marshall believes he understands the balance that needs to be struck between keeping law enforcement accountable and allowing them to do their job.
"What this bill would have done, it would have gotten rid of something called qualified immunity, which protects police officers from frivolous lawsuits," Marshall said. "In that split second when a police officer has to decide to pull his gun to protect other people or himself, this would have been in the back of his mind that he, if someone sued him over a frivolous situation, that he could lose his home, his car, everything that he owns. That was the biggest issue."
Marshall noted that for his constituents, there aren't that many substantive changes in the bill.
"So many other issues that they're trying to take care of in this bill from the federal standpoint, we're already doing in Kansas," Marshall said. "I personally spoke to the chiefs of police association this week along with the sheriffs association. They both adamantly opposed this bill by the Democrats."
Marshall isn't against oversight, but he says Kansas already does that.
"I'm always going to err on the side of law and order," Marshall said. "As a doctor, if there's a bad outcome in a hospital, that case is reviewed by a group of your peers. Then, if there's concern, then we send it out to a third party that doesn't know the names involved. That's the process of accountability and transparency. It's already happening for the most part in Kansas."
Every Democrat and just three Republicans voted for the bill. It passed 236-181.