Law enforcement must be consistent
Law enforcement officers may not always agree with regulations they are called on to uphold, but the public needs to know that the law is applied equally to everyone.
That’s why it’s disturbing to hear that two Allegheny County sheriff’s deputies were seen posing for a photograph at a local diner that remained open in defiance of the state’s most-recent restriction on indoor dining.
The sheriff’s department confirmed that the two deputies, who were not identified, have been placed in quarantine for 14 days and notified that an internal investigation is underway.
The photograph was posted on social media accounts for the Crack’D Egg diner in Brentwood, whose owner, Kimberly Waigand, has repeatedly flouted COVID-19 restrictions. In the photo, the two deputies and Ms. Waigand are seen — without wearing masks — inside the restaurant, which had a full dining room despite it being the first day of a ban on indoor dining.
The two deputies have a right to due process in determining whether they openly ignored the state restrictions, but the optics here are terrible. No restaurant owner wanted another restriction on indoor dining, but those who are adhering to the order are trying to make the best of a bad situation while the state tries to stem the alarming rise in the number of coronavirus cases. To have a couple of sheriff’s deputies posing with a restaurant owner who is defying those orders raises questions about uneven enforcement of the law.
The incident further erodes faith in law enforcement if the public believes that those who are not following the rules or openly mocking them can find support from the very people who should be enforcing the
restrictions.
Allegheny County Chief Deputy Kevin Kraus promised swift action if the two deputies were found in violation in any way. “We don’t condone any deputy that violates a health order from the governor, the county executive or any health agency,” Mr. Kraus said. He added that if the deputies are found in violation, “we do not condone it and will act accordingly.”
Ms. Waigand, who posted on social media support for police, has repeatedly ignored state orders aimed at mitigating COVID-19 cases. She said previously that the mask mandate is “fearmongering” and part of an unspecified “agenda.” The county Health Department ordered the restaurant closed on Aug. 11, but it continued to operate while Ms. Waigand filed a federal civil rights lawsuit. In October, she filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Mandates and restrictions in place to protect public health need to be enforced in the interest of fairness. Law enforcement officials can’t turn a blind eye to establishments they favor.