Police Chief Calls Council's Bluff

It appears that the City Council of Seattle has banned police use of non-lethal means, such as pepper spray and tear gas, in the suppression of violent riots. The Legal Insurrection website has a copy of the letter Seattle's Police Chief has sent to residents and businesses. I'll quote key passages:

The City Council Ordinance 119805 Crowd Control Tool goes into effect this weekend on Sunday, July 26, 2020. This ordinance bans Seattle Police officers the use of less lethal tools, including pepper spray that is commonly used to disperse crowds that have turned violent. Simply put, the legislation gives officers NO ability to safely intercede to preserve property in the midst of a large, violent crowd.

For these reasons, Seattle Police will have an adjusted deployment in response to any demonstrations this weekend - as I will never ask our officers to risk their personal safety to protect property without the tools to do so in a safe way.

With the caveat that I'm no attorney, my understanding of what Chief Carmen Best has written is that the police might take some risk to protect your life and limb, as long as you don't stupidly confront looters. They won't try to protect your business, your home, your car, or any other inanimate property.

Basically, she's called the City Council's bluff. Seattle had better hope they blink, rather than fire her.

My gun-enthusiast friends view this situation as an open invitation to use their weapon(s) to protect their property. I suspect doing so would land them in jail in blue states, and some purple ones. Even in red states they may have to rely on the governor for a pardon.

The downside: Urban property insurance rates will go sky-high, if any firm will continue to issue it. Urban property values will drop. Small businesses in riot-prone areas will close, and the poor SOBs who live there will be out of luck for shopping. "Food desert" will become more than a metaphor.

The upside: Private security firms will benefit. Not suffering the police's limitations, the mob and street gangs will go into the protection game. Suburban and exurban property values will rise. Those who raise and train vicious guard dogs will be busy. Sale of armored glass, razor wire and security gates will boom.

Unintended consequences: Violence begets violence, so vigilantism is likely. Expect colorful signs proclaiming things like "This property is protected by the 27th Avenue Gangster Disciples." A popularly elected successor who actually is the tyrant Democrats claim Trump to be - in effect an American Putin - cannot be dismissed as complete fantasy if this insanity spreads to many cities.