The Gravity of Our Public Safety Crisis
Does the public really understand how bad things are?
If someone you know is in doubt that our nation is in the midst of a police staffing crisis that’s threatening public safety, I recommend referring them to this article by
. Roland writes,“We need to understand the grave reality which is that law enforcement executives are rapidly running out of levers to pull and complete shifts will soon, unexpectedly, go unfilled. There will be no one left to call to work an overtime shift. There will be days, very soon, where 911 police service calls either get no response or a uselessly long response.”
In the article’s comment section, I questioned whether the public grasps the severity of our public safety situation. Police Wire founder
responded (he gave me his permission to post his comment) that:“I can tell you they really don't understand it. At least not enough of them to make a difference in the culture. I've explained the situation to friends and community members, and they tend to be genuinely shocked by how serious things have gotten.”
Stephen’s correct.
While most of the public likely knows by now, at least at some level, that there are police staffing shortages across the country, I don’t think the severity of the situation has fully registered.
Part of this can perhaps be attributed to denial, information overload, and the fact that most of us live hectic lives. As Stephen put it,
“And to be fair, I can't fully blame the everyday citizen for not being aware. We all have personal lives, and overarching crime trends just aren't on most people's radar until something bad happens to them personally.”
It’s also about lack of exposure to the chaos. Police officers, those who closely follow this issue, crime victims, and citizens who’ve been unable to get police assistance (even for high priority calls), understand that we’re in crisis mode. People who are insulated from the chaos or who rely solely on academic theory and biased news sources are more apt to think the issue is exaggerated or fabricated.
The fact is, crime isn’t something that just happens to other people. It eventually spreads, including into the suburbs and rural areas, especially in places where policies favor offenders. Criminals understand this concept, and they know that the blue line has been severely weakened.
The police staffing crisis is real, and it’s occurring at the precise time that violent offenders are being released onto the streets. None of us are immune from crime and chaos. Complacency is ill-advised.
Updates!
Women are Stepping Up for Law Enforcement!
The new police and public safety action center I’ve been working on with Independent Women’s Network is now in the editing stage, and is ready to launch during National Police Week. This launch is just a start, and we will be building from there.
Did I mention that our network is comprised of about 32,000 strong-minded women who care deeply about our country; or that our group has the ear of Congress and media?
Stay tuned and keep the faith. : )
Police Legislation
As promised in a recent post, I contacted Rep. Van Drew’s staff this week about his bill, the Public Safety Free Speech Act (H.R. 7398). While it’s a solid -and needed- bill that better protects the First Amendment rights of police officers and other first responders, someone mentioned (and I agree) that a police manager may try to find ways to skirt the bill’s language.
For example, police command might attempt to manufacture a work-related reason as an excuse not to promote a well-qualified officer. Although the bill states “any adverse employment action,” it’s easy to see how some managers might try to abuse it. Which is unfortunate. Police officers shouldn’t have to contend with internal politics in addition to working in a stressful job in an unforgiving environment.
The staffer I needed to speak to wasn’t in when I called, so I sent an email. I’ll keep you updated.
Aside from that, there’s been no movement on the police and public safety bills I’m closely watching, including the Protect & Serve Act (H.R. 743), since last week.
Police and Public Safety News
“Time Served” for Cop Killer
The reason there’s so much focus on the Protect & Serve Act (H.R. 743) is because it would create a new federal crime for attacking, killing, attempting to kill, or kidnapping a police officer, include those who serve at the local and state levels. Prosecutions and sentences would no longer be arbitrary, based on the politics of a region.
If this law had been in place when Indianapolis police officer Breann Leath was killed, the perpetrator would have likely been serving a life sentence instead of “time served.”
In his typical candor, Joe Gamaldi, vice president of the National Fraternal Order of Police said it best:
“What the hell is going on in America right now?
It is an absolute travesty that a monster who murdered a police officer and shot at three others, gets time served for those charges! This monster also tried to kill his girlfriend and they only gave him 25 years for everything.
Judge even admitted on the record he could have given him more time in prison but didn’t! This so called judge should resign in shame for what he has done.”
If you haven’t already, please urge your congressperson to co-sponsor the Protect & Serve Act, and ask your networks to do the same. Unlike similar federal bills of its kind, H.R. 743 has the most realistic chance of passing in this climate.
Other States Can Take a Lesson on Public Safety from Florida
The state of Florida arguably has the most comprehensive pro-police and public safety laws in the nation. It most notably passed the Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act in 2021. This past week, several key public safety bills were signed into law (or are set to be signed), including H.B. 621, which would criminalize squatting and make it easier for home-owning victims to reclaim their property.
These are acts representative of a government that fulfills its primary obligation of protecting the citizenry.
Meanwhile, in cities like Chicago where laws (the state’s SAFE-T Act) favor criminal offenders, those who are arrested for perpetrating the most heinous of crimes (this is not an anomaly) aren’t being detained.
Crime Isn’t Really Down
We hear mayors and even some police chiefs claim that crime is down. Although people can’t quite put their finger on it, they know that the “statistics” don’t align with reality.
There are several factors that cause crime statistics to be flawed and even misleading, including the fact that not all police agencies submit crime data to the FBI; that calls for service -even high priority- go unanswered because there aren’t enough available cops; and that offenders are not always charged with the actual crime they committed.
This is a big topic, one that deserves thoughtful analysis and discourse. For a deep dive on this issue, I highly recommend this article by
, a retired police sergeant, narcotics detective, and SWAT team leader.
Parting thought . . .
Some argue that the traditional police uniform is too militaristic and intimidating. It’s actually designed to represent professionalism, organization, unity, order, and authority.
Logistically, uniforms make sense. If you’re in public and need emergency assistance, for example, who will you flag down: a pedestrian in civilian’s clothes or the person wearing the uniform? That uniform signals to most of us that the person wearing it has the authority, ability, and willingness to help.
Plus police officers are representatives of the U.S. Constitution -one of our nation’s most sacred documents- and as such, they should wear clothes befitting their oath.
That said, I also get how those uniforms can make officers seem unapproachable - even, at times, to someone like me, who advocates for them. It’s a psychological thing. The same officer wearing Eddie Bauer on a day off most definitely exudes a different vibe than when wearing an official uniform when on call. At least that’s been my experience.
That hesitancy shouldn’t stop you from showing appreciation to officers when you see them in public. In fact, they want to hear from us. At a time when they’re under fire, they need our support and acts of kindness.
Remember, beneath that uniform are human beings with emotions, just like you and me.
Have an amazing week ahead. : )
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.
Thank you. I couldn't be more honored. Thanks for including me with such great company. Keith Graves and Stephen Daniel are wise commentators who address the key issues of society and policing head-on. Joe Gamaldi is an amazing advocate for every peace officer, whether they are FOP or not.