The United States is suffering from a crime crisis. Across our country, families fear for their safety when they hear stories of their neighbors falling victim to violent crime. And people are angry when they hear about criminals being released back into our communities due to woke district attorneys who refuse to press charges for criminal actions, leaving victims wondering why.
Let’s be clear: this crime crisis and its devastation on the American people is a direct result of the Democrats’ obsession with the radical defund and disparage the police movement.
Local politicians catering to radical activists rather than supporting law enforcement has dire consequences. The police profession has become not only undesirable, but more dangerous even for seasoned veteran officers who are just trying to keep their communities safe. Those with the noble desire to protect and serve are being forced into early retirement and recruiting into the profession has been difficult. A lack of support from community leaders has a chilling effect on proactive policing, and with less law enforcement on the street, this crime crisis is only getting worse.
It is no coincidence that places where the defund the police movement had strong support from local officials also saw drastic increases in crime. Take Minneapolis in my home state of Minnesota for example. In 2020, a majority of the city council announced their intent to “end policing as we know it.” In short order, they began their verbal assault on the profession and cut $8 million from their police budget.
As a former law enforcement officer of 23 years, I know that a properly staffed and trained police force is necessary to keep our communities safe.
These actions have had disastrous consequences for the community. In 2021, Minneapolis recorded its highest number of homicides in over 20 years and averaged two carjackings per day in December of that year. It’s no surprise that the majority of Minneapolis voters disagree with the defund the police movement and in November 2021 rejected a ballot initiative to dismantle the police.
The story in Minneapolis is one of most major American cities since defund the police policies became a rallying cry on the left. In 2021, over a dozen cities across the country set new homicide records. Carjackings have also been skyrocketing in cities from Philadelphia to Chicago to Washington, D.C. I’ve read far too many stories about these carjackings happening when a child is in the car. As a father of five, my heart breaks when I read these stories.
A rise in crime isn’t the only dangerous consequence of the defund the police movement. More police officers were killed in the line of duty in 2021 than in any year since 1995. Violence against police officers also rose in 2021, as 73 police officers were killed, an increase of 59% over 2020. And in January 2022, at least 30 police officers were shot, an increase of 67% from 2021. Given this alarming trend, it is no wonder why police forces are struggling to recruit and retain officers.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We must support our police and make it clear that criminal actions have consequences. Both proactive policing and diligent prosecutors are a deterrent to crime.
I also know that no one dislikes a bad cop more than a good cop. That said, I know the overwhelming majority of the officers serving are good people with good intentions whose jobs have become a lot more difficult.
While we Republicans have always been vocal in our support for law enforcement, Democrats have not. Nearly every single Democrat in the House voted for legislation that stripped law enforcement of money, resources, and protection. Now that we are in election season, some moderate Democrats are attempting to cover their tracks by claiming they support police despite their voting records that prove otherwise. Further, President Biden called to “fund the police” in his 2022 State of the Union despite supporting defund the police policies just a little over a year ago. I hope he truly wants this policy change and it’s not just a hollow attempt to aid vulnerable Democrats in midterm elections. Unlike Democrats, Republicans don’t need election year polling to support the police.
As a former law enforcement officer of 23 years, I know that a properly staffed and trained police force is necessary to keep our communities safe. I also know that no one dislikes a bad cop more than a good cop. That said, I know the overwhelming majority of the officers serving are good people with good intentions whose jobs have become a lot more difficult than they already are thanks to the Democrats defund and disrespect the police movement. We must always stand with these brave men and women serving our communities.
Police officers deserve unequivocal support to do their jobs. Funding should be increased for our police departments and improvements should be made to law enforcement benefits to help with recruitment and retention. We should also look into expanding initiatives that would assist law enforcement with investigating, prosecuting, and deterring violent crime.
Additionally, criminals must be prosecuted and held accountable for their actions. When progressive district attorneys let off criminals with no consequences for their actions, it reinforces bad behavior and encourages more criminal actions. These district attorneys must be held accountable to their communities for their actions that jeopardize the public safety.
It’s time to enact common sense solutions to put an end to the crime crisis. Our families deserve safe and secure communities.
Pete Stauber represents Minnesota’s 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.