Protect & Serve Act Introduced in U.S. Senate; a Forgotten Casualty of the War on Police
Plus news bites and thoughts on the state of our nation
Supporting police officers is rewarding on it own merits. By extension, fighting for cops also translates to stronger communities and advocating for our nation’s most vulnerable members.
We’ve seen the fallout from police staffing shortages -from rising crime to deteriorating cities- and to some extent, most of us have been impacted. Perhaps we now have to re-think traveling to our favorite cities, need to wait longer for service, or don’t have the same access to community officers because they’re busy filling staffing gaps.
Some groups, however, have been much more deeply affected by the war on police; for example, our fellow Americans living in high-risk communities, victims of human trafficking and domestic violence, and kids who have turned to gangs because the only positive adult presence in their lives (cops) are no longer there.
Another forgotten group that has been deeply impacted by police staffing shortages are animals.
Apart from veterinary staff and welfare workers (two other groups that are currently having a hard time of it), distressed animals have always had a solid ally in police officers. Cops routinely save pets from hot cars, risk their own safety to rescue them from catastrophic situations, and work with animal welfare organizations to break up criminal enterprises like dog-fighting rings.
At the urging of the National Sheriffs’ Association and animal welfare groups like the Doris Day Animal League and the Humane Society Legislative Fund, the FBI began tracking cases of animal cruelty as a separate category via its crime database in 2016. And some larger police departments have initiated special units or task forces dedicated specifically to combatting animal cruelty.
The war on police has put a halt to this progress and placed these efforts at risk.
Fewer available cops translates to fewer resources to dedicate to animal issues. The Los Angeles Police Department, for example, had to disband its animal cruelty unit due to staffing issues. An animal cruelty task force was formed in Boston earlier this year in response to the steep rise in animal cruelty cases. Note, however, that this is a coordinated effort with resources being pulled from a variety of police agencies, not just the Boston Police Department. Police departments experiencing severe staffing shortages just don’t have the resources to work on this issue single-handedly.
This is happening at a time when animal cruelty is on the rise, not just in Boston (Massachusetts had a 70% jump in cruelty cases between 2019 and 2022), but in jurisdictions across the country. As someone who’s been involved in animal welfare, I’ve seen and heard about the cruelty and neglect, all of it disturbing. In the years I was a volunteer, police staffing wasn’t the issue it is now, though. The animals are now virtually alone.
Some groups want to strengthen animal cruelty laws. Count me in! Here’s the conundrum, though: how many officers will actually be available to enforce these laws?
The war on police has produced suffering, especially for the most vulnerable among us.
The big legislative news this week is that a companion bill to the Protect & Serve Act (H.R. 743) has finally been introduced on the Senate side (S. 4258) by Sen. Thomas Tillis. It already has 20 co-sponsors!
I’m pleased to see Sen. Lindsey Graham (SC) listed as an original co-sponsor. I briefly chatted with the Senator at Reagan Airport last fall (and handed him my business card) on my way home from an event in D.C.; I had asked him to consider sponsoring a companion bill to H.R. 743. While I’m not taking credit for his involvement, it’s still a good feeling to know that perhaps something I said inspired him.
As you did with H.R. 743, would you please take a moment to contact your U.S. senator, urging them to sign on as a co-sponsor?
You can reach the Congressional switchboard and be connected to your representatives at this number: 202-224-3121.
Some news stories I’ve read this past week offer signs of hope, while others demonstrate that we still have a lot of work ahead of us. Here are a just a few of the stories I’m recommending this week.
The Truth About Police Use of Force
Jason Johnson, president of Law Enforcement Legal Defense penned an excellent article for the Chicago Sun-Times about how uncommon police use-of-force cases actually are, and how the media often misses the mark in their reporting.
Though the article is behind a paywall, I was able to access it in its entirety a couple times.
Illinois Renames the Definition of Crime
The Illinois legislature passed a bill that if signed by the Governor, will change the word offender to justice impacted individual. It seems to be yet another way to decriminalize crime, at the expense of taxpayers and crime victims.
Portland Elects New District Attorney
The voters of Multnomah County (Oregon) have apparently had enough of soft-on-crime policies. This past week they elected a moderate to replace the current Soros-backed district attorney. And he won with a 12-point lead!
There is no denying that we inhabit an imperfect nation where people with bad intentions seem to escape unscathed and innocents suffer. We have a lot of work to do if we’re to lift all Americans up and allow them to thrive.
We’re also a nation of greatness, hope, and where most anyone who wants to, can reach their potential. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it is still possible. Count me in among those who considers herself exceedingly blessed to be a citizen of the United States of America.
Look at the progress our young country has made in its brief history. There was a time, not too long ago, for example, when I wouldn’t have been allowed to vote! These types of changes are possible because of the values our nation was founded on.
And they’re also possible because there have been men and women willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for those values. We honor them this coming weekend.
Our country is in a fragile place. We’re in a cultural tug-of-war, and it’s because there are people willing to fight for their country that we stand a chance. Whether it’s volunteering to help military veterans, administering to the vulnerable, speaking up at school board meetings, advocating for the thin blue line, or praying, all efforts make a difference.
We have no other choice though, do we? We must continue to show up for our country, because there’s no other place to run and hide.
The best is yet to come. Wishing you the best. : )
For the Blue is a solutions-based initiative. I’m just an American patriot asking questions. I don’t work with any political party and I answer to nobody. For me, the health of the nation, due process (including for police officers), the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, will always transcend party affiliation. I welcome your thoughts, even if you disagree; though personal attacks will be ignored. You can reach me at fortheblue@substack.com.