The United States of America is a nation of laws. Unfortunately, we are witnessing the erosion of law and order in major American cities. To protect our freedom and to ensure the safety of our communities, criminals must be caught and prosecuted, and crimes must be prevented. We must strengthen law enforcement agencies, provide police with the resources they need to combat criminal activities, and elect leaders who would ensure that communities stay safe.
Recently, I read the news of trains in Los Angeles being ransacked by criminals. The news of looting drew a lot of attention. Many criticized elected leaders like California Governor Gavin Newsom for poor governance of such a massive and wealthy state.
But it is not just poor leadership at the state level. The Los Angeles District Attorney has also faced criticism for not being tough on crime.
Because of elected officials’ repeated failures to combat crimes and protect private property, robberies and thefts have skyrocketed. For example, it has been reported that between October 2020 and October 2021, train robberies increased by 356 percent.
Americans pay taxes that fund law enforcement agencies and local and state government offices. Sadly, some elected officials, despite being paid by the American taxpayers, fail to fulfill their duties to protect the public. For example, in 2020, the Los Angeles City Council voted to cut the Los Angeles Police Department budget by $150 million.
As a result of this massive cut to Los Angeles Police Department’s budget, the agency had to reassign many officers and reduce its programs. Funding cuts adversely impact law enforcement officials’ abilities to fight crime.
Last year, there were many reports of smash-and-grab crimes targeting private businesses in various states including California. As criminal activities grew in California, people launched an effort to recall Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon. Beverly Hills City Council voted unanimously to recall George Gascon. Gascon has been criticized for eliminating bail and dropping charges for many crimes.
In my city of Madison, in the state of Wisconsin, there are frequent cases of car theft, robbery, assault, and many other forms of crime. I called for an increase in police presence to combat illegal activities in the city. As a resident of Madison, I wish to see strong measures to ensure the safety and security of people and their property.
We need strong enforcement of laws in communities across the country to deter crimes. Elected officials must provide adequate resources to law enforcement agencies and district attorneys must prosecute crimes.
What is happening in places like California – smash-and-grab robberies, looting of trains, and other forms of crime – must end. To ensure strong communities, we must prevent the erosion of law and order.