CUYAHOGA COUNTY — When someone barricades themselves inside a home, law enforcement agencies swarm the area—trying to bring the situation to a safe end. But police chiefs across the region are now backing a bill that would make barricading yourself a felony.
Officers blocking off streets, drones in the air, and SWAT on guard—those are all signs of a standoff.
“These are highly dangerous, volatile situations. The more time that passes, the worse it can be for everyone involved,” said Robert Butler, president of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police.
And across Ohio, Butler says it’s something police are seeing more often.
“We're seeing a rise in those that are barricading themselves in their house and using that as a weapon to delay.” Butler continued, “They're using (it) as weapon to delay their arrest to delay us from being able to keep the area safe.”
Each time a barricade situation happens, Butler tells News 5 multiple agencies are pulled in—two to four officers from as many as ten departments—along with drones, specialized equipment, and additional personnel, for hours or sometimes even days.
“In those types of situations, we have to fill it with overtime,” Butler said. “We may have to pull from other communities, leaving us unable to fully staff our own city because we’re focused on one point.”
That’s on top of the impact on surrounding neighborhoods.
“People can't make it to their homes. We may have to lock down a school. It impacts the neighborhood's lives the community, and it can have far reaching psychological effects,” said Bulter.
Those concerns are part of why police are backing Senate Bill 188. The bill would make it a felony to barricade yourself inside your home while attempting to evade arrest. U.S. Marshals helped draft the proposal after seeing barricade situations increase to nearly once a week.
“We hope it’s a deterrent,” said U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott. “We want an enhanced charge on these barricaded subjects because it affects everybody. It's not only a danger to law enforcement, but also a danger to the residents that live in those neighborhoods.”
Right now, Elliott says there are few serious consequences for causing that level of disruption.
“Maybe obstruction, maybe something low level at the end of the day. But, you know, we're hoping that this is like a serious charge on top of their original charge,” said Elliott.
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Tom Patton, who hopes it could also be used as a tactic.
“We think this could be a negotiating tool,” Patton said. “Something to say, ‘Do you want three more years on top of this? Give up now.’”
Butler says the goal is simple—protect officers, conserve resources, and resolve these situations safely.
“Everyone needs to understand what that this is a crime and that it is affecting other people. Doesn't matter if they're in a mental health crisis, doesn't matter if they're a suspect. Doesn't matter what the situation is. We need a fast resolution and to get them the help that they need,” said Butler.
As of now, the bill has been introduced in the Senate and is in the Senate committee.
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