UP Gazette

Proposed legislation that would ban police in Michigan from using tear gas is a “foolish idea,” according to Rep. Beau LaFave (R-Iron Mountain).

The legislation, introduced by Rep. Kara Hope (D-Holt) on June 25, is straightforward: “A law enforcement officer shall not use a chemical irritant as a crowd-control mechanism in this state."

Tear gas is an effective way to disperse crowds without having to use weapons such as batons, rubber bullets or stun guns that might be more harmful, LaFave said. “If you ban tear gas, you’re going to have more dead citizens when a riot happens.” 

Rep. Beau LaFave | Michigan House Republicans

Hope said tear gas is dangerous, especially during a respiratory pandemic such as COVID-19, the Lansing State Journal reported.

LaFave disagrees and believes that removing tear gas as a police tool would cost more lives.

“You can either use deadly force or non-deadly force, such as tear gas,” he told the UP Gazette. “If we end the situation with people’s eyes watering and a runny nose, I would much prefer that to them being shot by police.”

Elected leaders have tough decisions to make when large groups gather and are breaking the law. “You are either going to have to do something or you can choose to do nothing,” LaFave said. “More often than not, choosing to do nothing is the wrong idea.”

Hope, sponsor of the legislation, said tear gas is used disproportionately against people of color.

“I would love to see the statistics on that,” LaFave responded. “In all the news reports I have been seeing, it’s mainly white liberal protesters who needed to be tear-gassed recently.”

Many of the protesters are “white, woke leftists,” according to LaFave. “They don’t care about police brutality. They don’t care about African Americans being killed. Those who are rioting and looting and ripping down statues don’t care about Black Lives Matter. They are anarchists who just want to destroy things.”