Issue Position: Public Safety

Issue Position

Vision

A brighter future for the Mon Valley can only be realized if the safety of our children, parents, and neighbors is a top priority. It is critical that we support law enforcement and public safety officials that protect our communities. We must work to curb crime in our community in all its forms, end the opioid epidemic, and expand access to addiction treatment.

Solutions

As your State Representative, I will fight to ensure that the Commonwealth is making serious investments in local law enforcement and fire personnel by expanding programs like the Fire Company and Emergency Medical Service Grants. Its critical that our Public Safety officials have the necessary training and equipment to keep our communities safe.

I will fight to curb violence in all its forms by implementing evidence based programs that deter crime. I will support redesigned police strategies, similar to the Commonwealth's Weed and Seed program, that focus on the small number of serious, violent offenders to exert influence and raise their risk of apprehension which reduces the likelihood of further acts of violence.

I will work every day to end the opioid epidemic that is plaguing our communities. The Commonwealth must take immediate action to slow the proliferation of painkillers, which is fueling this crisis. I will support strategies that limit the number of opioids that a doctor can prescribe. I will also support efforts to hold pharmaceutical companies that have knowingly misled patients and physicians about the drugs risks.

As a Commonwealth, we must make access to addiction treatment easier than access to opioids or heroin. I will fight to ensure that the Commonwealth makes critical investments in evidence based addiction treatment programs. In addition, I would sponsor and support policies that create more infrastructure for addiction care such as tuition reimbursements programs for doctors or medical staff working in addiction care.

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