Demand enforcement and quit the sniveling

Had to laugh when I read the article, “Crash victim suing WPD,” where Jennifer Setters blames the Wasilla police for trying to get a drunk driver off the road.

The police were doing their job. If Setters wants someone to blame, all she has to do is look in the mirror.

How many times over the last 15 years has she asked her legislators to put teeth in existing laws concerning driving without insurance, drunk driving, DWLR/DWLS?

How many times has she asked the troopers/police to provide the names of “judges” who set bail conditions for drunk drivers? There are “judges” and “magistrates” who release drunk drivers with no bail required, or a measly $250 to $500 bail, when the PFD is well over a thousand dollars! And the troopers/police protect these judicial officers by not providing their names in their press releases.

These judges are not in compliance with Article 1, sections 12, 24 of the Alaska Constitution, and since superior court judges are up for retention every six years, the public should know who the weak judges are.

As for the problem of people driving without insurance, that is easy to fix. First, amend existing law (A.S.28.22.019) to remove the stupid excuse “Oh, I left it at home.” The law says you are required to have proof of insurance in your vehicle — get caught without it and the law should require that your vehicle is immediately impounded until you bring in proof of insurance. And then you get to pay towing/impound fees. Maybe that will encourage you to obey civil law.

Second, if you have your insurance card with you, the officer should be able to call the insurance company and verify that you have insurance in effect. If you don’t, your vehicle is immediately impounded until you do.

Until you go to your legislator and demand these things, you are the problem (and I don’t want to hear your sniveling).

R.K. Butts

Wasilla