A bill mandating federal agents have the county sheriff accompany them while serving warrants has been introduced in the state of Missouri.
Senate Bill 776 (SB776) was introduced on Jan. 27 by State Sen. Brian Nieves (R-26). The summary of the bill states that “before serving a warrant issued by a United States Court, the federal agent must be accompanied by the sheriff, or his or her designee, of the county where the warrant is to be served.”
SB776 applies to state law enforcement as well. The text of the bill states, “Prior to serving any warrant in the state of Missouri, all state law enforcement agencies shall notify the sheriff of the county in which the warrant is to be served and proceed with the service of the warrant only if accompanied by the sheriff or the sheriff’s designee.”
If passed, this measure would provide a new check against overwrought government power. Sheriffs or their designees are required to file a report of every instance where a warrant is served. If a warrant is served without meeting the conditions of the bill, a Class A misdemeanor is assigned to the offenders.
A movement has emerged in recent years that has re-emphasized the role of the sheriff in enforcing the Constitution. The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) is headed by Sheriff Mack, a vocal proponent of state nullification and a friend to the Tenth Amendment Center. They promote the idea that sheriffs are the first line of defense against tyranny in the homeland and duty bound to resist unconstitutional orders.
“We are going to train and vet them all, state by state, to understand and enforce the constitutionally protected Rights of the people they serve, with an emphasis on State Sovereignty and local autonomy,” Mack said on his CSPOA website. “Then these local governments will issue our new Declaration to the Federal Government regarding the abuses that we will no longer tolerate or accept.”
If enough sheriffs can be alerted to the threat that excessive government power poses to freedom by this brave effort, SB776 can have a profoundly positive impact on curbing federal overreach and police abuses. It has been moved to the General Laws Committee where it will need to be passed by a majority before it is taken to the Senate for a full vote.
