Letters to the editor: Mayor’s report, police reform, coronavirus aid

Mayor’s report

Get over yourselves, people! Mayor McLean promised transparency and inclusivity, and she is in the process of providing that by establishing a task force of groups addressing different aspects of what Boise is and should be. These are suggestions offered by a variety of citizens on a variety of subjects, and are not policy proposals. Maybe some of them will become policy, most won’t. Perhaps you should hold your vitriol for actual policy proposals.

To you recently transplanted Californians worrying that McLean is going to make Boise like San Francisco or whatever, I would remind you that Boise is the wonderful place to live that it is because it is and has been run by Democrats. If that bothers you, I invite you move on – perhaps Texas? As to those who think the liberals have moved here and ruined the place, all you have to do is listen to those complaints about “socialism” to see that most of the Californians moving here are conservatives. I wish they would find somewhere else to go – we have more than enough conservatives in this state. Maybe a few of those California liberals could move here to help provide some balance.

Walter Gammill, Boise

Police reform

It is my strong opinion that these five items should be implemented immediately in Idaho:

1. Establish a government inspector body who must investigate police misconduct and criminal allegations and control certain evidence such as body cam footage. Any lethal force shall trigger an automatic investigation by this inspector.

2. Demand that states establish board certification with minimum education and training requirements to provide licensing for police. In order to become a law enforcement officer, a person must possess certain licenses. The inspector can also revoke this license at any time.

3. Refocus police resources on training, de-escalation, mental health support, and community building.

4. Adopt the “Absolute Necessity” doctrine for lethal force as implemented in other states and revamp qualified immunity. “I feared for my life” is no longer a valid excuse.

5. Codify into law the requirement for police to maintain positive control over the evidence chain in custody. If the chain of custody is lost for evidence, the investigative body in Demand #1 can hold law enforcement officers and their agencies liable.

Peter Adams, Boise

Coronavirus aid

I was amazed to hear Governor Little say that half of the $1.2 billion given to Idaho to help with coronavirus would be “rolled into” the unemployment fund if not allocated elsewhere. While I know many people lost their jobs due to the shutdown, surely there are better ways to use this money. The CARES act provides $600/week on top of unemployment, and a $1,500 benefit is now planned to help people decide to go back to work. We have more than covered this base!

What about more directly helping out the individuals, families and communities impacted by coronavirus in other ways? For example, a way to forgive the mounting medical bills people now have to pay from coronavirus-related hospital stays.

What about helping places like Nez Perce County that has only 79 confirmed cases, but 19 deaths? Almost 25% of all coronavirus deaths in Idaho are from one county (population 40,000); these federal dollars can make a real difference to change this situation moving forward. Governor, you and your team can do better than this. Use this life-changing money to strategically help the people who need it most!

Harold Wilson, Meridian