The Mid-term Elections and Police
We shouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security
I hesitated writing this post. Discussing politics means you risk alienating people, including allies - and that’s not my intention. This is not a political blog and I’m not here to do the bidding for any political party. I want what’s best for the health of the country - which for me, means living in a place where law & order is considered sacred.
#Countrybeforeparty. Always.
Whether we like it or not, politics very much affects policing and public safety, so it needs to be part of the conversation.
So here goes. {gulp}
Crime is a uniting issue for voters, and one that will likely help propel Republicans into victory this coming mid-term election. Security is a basic human need, and our government has failed in their responsibility to us.
A Republican win doesn’t mean our problems will disappear, however.
The Elections Are Not a Done Deal
Let’s start with the obvious: polls are not the same as election results. We’ve seen election day surprises in recent years, so we shouldn’t count on something that hasn’t yet transpired.
November is a long time away, and just about anything can happen between now and then. The American public is fickle; and the people have short memories.
It Will Take Time to Fix the Damage That’s Been Done to Policing
Cops have been hit hard these past few years and a lot of damage has been done. It’s not just the violence targeted towards police officers and calls to defund that have stifled officer morale and caused staffing crises at police departments across the country.
Rogue prosecutors criminally charge them for making good-faith mistakes (as tragic as those mistakes may be, they don’t meet the legal definition of criminal intent), as we recently witnessed with Kim Potter. Or they indict cops for past acts that had already been cleared by authorities, as is happening in Austin, Texas.
Jurisdictions, like those in New York state, have entire prosecutorial units focused exclusively on prosecuting cops. If only they could prosecute violent offenders with as much fervor!
These policies, agencies, and ideologies won’t just evaporate because of an election. Making change takes time and steadfast focus, as well as a genuine desire to protect the American people. Problem is, true leaders and public servants are in short supply.
Republicans May Be Preferable on Law & Order Policies, but They’ve Still Come Up Short
Some politicians excel in their support for police officers. At the state level, Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans, for example, created law & order legislation to address the upswing in attacks and ambushes on police officers. The Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act makes striking a police officer during a violent or disorderly assembly punishable with a mandatory six-month jail sentence.
The Protect and Serve Act (S.774 / H.R. 3079), which would impose federal penalties on those who deliberately target police officers, thus far has 67 co-sponsors in the House, the majority of whom are Republicans.
In my experience, these acts of leadership have been the exception, not the general rule.
In my own state this past January, Republican members of Congress introduced a Pro-Cop Wisconsin Campaign, which would have offered monetary incentives to aid in police recruitment.
While I completely agree that cops deserve to be compensated well for putting their lives on the line, this legislation does little to address the reasons behind the recruitment crisis and lowered officer morale. Moreover, given that the war on cops has been an issue since at least 2015, why the sudden interest in supporting cops seven years later?
Lobbying Attempts Often Fall on Deaf Ears
For the past year I’ve been lobbying state Republicans, urging them to craft legislation similar to Florida’s law and order act. My requests have either been met with silence or a Sorry, not interested.
I wonder how supporting police officers and by extension the public they serve, is not a priority for any elected official, especially those who claim to be pro-law and order.
Even if pro-police legislation didn’t have a chance of passing in this current environment, they could have still laid the groundwork.
While I think we have a better chance of fixing the damage done to policing & public safety with Republican wins this November, I also think it’s a mistake to get lulled into a false sense of security. Though Republicans may, generally speaking, be stronger on law and order-type issues, I trust few politicians to actually do what’s in our best interest. Regardless of who wins, we have a lot of work ahead.