An Oklahoma lawmaker wants to exempt cops from jury duty.
A bill passed out of the state House would exempt from jury service all officers certified by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training. Rep. Ross Ford said departments can’t afford to have officers stuck in a criminal or civil trial.
"These agencies are short-staffed right now, and it’s an officer safety issue that we’re putting lives — our officers in danger," Ford said.
Ford said cops are often dismissed, anyway. County sheriffs and their deputies are already exempt from jury duty, as are judges, practicing attorneys and lawmakers during session.
Rep. David Perryman said police aren’t special in being needed at their jobs instead of on a jury.
"It’s no more inconvenient to a law enforcement official than it is a store clerk or a car hop. It’s no more inconvenient than it is for a teacher and the school district they’re employed by," Perryman said.
Rep. Ben Loring is a former prosecutor and said the system can’t afford to lose potential jurors.
"There are not enough jurors as it is, not enough qualified jurors as it is, and that is the bedrock of our entire judicial system," Loring said.
As written, House Bill 2567 would exempt all certified officers, not just active ones. It passed the House 51–44.
