Cover Story
America’s
CRIME CRISIS It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way by Pete Stauber
Local and Federal law enforcement respond to an alleged shooting near the 2900 block of Van Ness Street in Washington, DC on April 22, 2022. Police said the victims include two adult men and one girl.
The United States is suffering with 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 are 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 12
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
RIPON FORUM May 2022
