Legislative District 26

Public safety is a multifaceted process. We spend too much time and money on addressing the symptoms of a more significant problem. Reinvestment in MHS, addiction services, and housing will exponentially return investment. Public safety is currently approved as a responsive service rather than preventative, as it should be.

Investment in services that prevent crime and safety degeneration in communities is key. Access to healthcare and mental health services is critical. As a legislator, I will propose measures that invest in a long-term resource allocation solution like funding pipelines to provide more providers and access points in the community, multi-use centers that build communities within communities, and measures that include and hold law enforcement accountable to policies and behavior on a community level.

Most of the measures and reforms being considered are too idealistic for firm implementation. Without firm and set criteria of what is or is not acceptable, we run the risk of abuse of discretion. The first place to start raising the standard is in individual officers’ records. As mentioned, I favor the implementation of a database that records negative conduct findings by an officer acting in the state. I recommend a statute that codifies disqualifying actions or actions over time, that holds officers accountable, and prevents “department-hoping” to avoid negative actions or records.