Ebben holds listening session with local law enforcement

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) - Republican Congressional candidate Jessi Ebben held a listening session with law enforcement on Thursday morning.

She invited members of local law enforcement throughout Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District to attend. The beginning of the discussion centered on qualified immunity for officers in response to current Congressman Ron Kind's decision to co-sponsor a bill that would eliminate it.

According to Cornell Law School, qualified immunity protects a government official from lawsuits alleging that the official violated a plaintiff's rights, only allowing suits where officials violated a “clearly established” statutory or constitutional right.

“We have officers that respond to some very critical incidents," said Monroe County Sheriff Wesley Revels. "They make split-second decisions, and qualified immunity allows them that opportunity to make those decisions, take those actions in good faith with an understanding at the time that those actions and decisions were lawful.”

The representatives from their perspective law enforcement agencies agreed that the move would create budgetary and recruitment issues, especially if each officer can be held for up to $25,000 of personal liability which is what was implemented in Colorado.

Another part of the conversation centered on civil unrest in larger cities and how that affects smaller communities in rural areas. Village of Wilton Police Chief Jeremy Likely said he personally went down to help in Madison. Other local agencies also sent personnel to help, but their officers ultimately had no response to the unrest.

"We want to send people to help them because we want to support our brothers and sisters in blue and brown and put people up there, but it’s frustrating because nothing gets done because the higher-ups in the political world say no, let them {protesters or rioters} do what they want,” said Grant County Sheriff Nate Dreckman.

Dreckman, Likely, and Revels will not send any more officers and sheriffs down to areas like Madison or Milwaukee.

Other topics included where Wisconsin is succeeding and leading in law enforcement, conceal and carry, and what law enforcement is facing right now in the midst of civil unrest.

You can watch the whole conversation right here.