70+ Sheriffs oppose SQ 805, urge citizens to vote 'No'

Photo posted to Twitter by Angelica Brown of OKC FOX 25.
OSA press release says over 70 sheriffs are represented by this view.

Oklahoma Sheriffs and the Oklahoma Sheriffs Association urge
citizens to vote “NO” on SQ #805

As sworn defenders of the public, Sheriffs across Oklahoma understand the importance of defeating State Question 805. If passed, SQ805 will create a culture that crime is okay in Oklahoma by reducing penalties for career criminals.  With SQ805, habitual offenders of serious crimes will spend less time in prison, and put them back on the streets where they can continue committing crimes like home burglaries, child trafficking, soliciting sex from minors using technology, animal cruelty and domestic violence; just to name a few.

While proponents of 805 claim it only applies to non-violent offences, many horrible crimes against people and animals are classified as non-violent, creating a pass for the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, because each crime has the same sentence range as a first time offense.

Proponents FALSELY claim SQ805 will only address repeat felons who commit drug, property or non-violent crimes.  However many of the repeat career criminals who will benefit commit destructive crimes that harm families, businesses, and communities all across Oklahoma. 

As Oklahoma’s constitutionally duly elected Sheriffs, we urge all Oklahomans to Vote “NO” on SQ 805 and protect Oklahoma children from super predators. We ask citizens to vote “NO” on SQ 805 and keep our homes and private property safe from repeat career criminals who would break into our homes, and steal our property; who would steal our identities and cause us financial hardship, and who would commit acts of Indecent Exposure, hate crimes based on Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation; and those who would commit acts of Negligent Homicide. 

SQ 805 would also be retroactive, and would mandate the reduction of sentences of convicted criminals currently serving time in prison, disregarding the decisions of the juries and judges who handed out those sentences.

Unfortunately, Domestic Violence continues to be an issue across our state, and SQ 805 would protect repeat offenders who commit acts of abuse in the presence of children, who continually stalk and mentally torment, as well as those repeat offenders who violate Protective Orders, and who commit acts of domestic abuse by strangulation.

Oklahoma Sheriffs DO NOT believe SQ805 is legitimate criminal justice reform, and UNDERSTAND that it will jeopardize the lives of Oklahomans, as it will treat EVERY offense as if it is the FIRST offense EVERY time; even if they have been convicted 20 or more times.

“I’ve seen first-hand the trauma and destruction caused by child predators, wife beaters and home invasion.  I pray Oklahomans turn out in force to defeat this horrible attempt to keep career criminals free, and release others from prison to continue a life of crime against our kids and communities,” said Harlan Moore, Delaware County Sheriff & President of the Oklahoma Sheriffs Association.

Please join with Oklahoma’s Sheriffs and the Oklahoma Sheriffs Association to keep our state safe, and Vote “NO” on State Question #805.