Issue Position: Safe Communities

Issue Position

Public safety and crime are the top issues I hear about at the door. Cuts to police, troopers and prosecutors have led to increased crime and a reduced sense of safety in our homes. A sustainable fiscal plan provides budgetary certainty to this critical public service. We can make our neighborhoods safer by:

Holding offenders accountable for their actions with reasonable penalties for criminal behavior, and ensuring released offenders are effectively monitored;

Partnering with tribal, local and federal agencies to reduce the amount of drugs entering our community and state;

Adequately fund trooper and prosecutor positions, and improve recruitment and retention by returning to a defined benefit option, which will reduce training costs and improve effectiveness;

Providing support for those battling addiction and mental health issues;

Reducing recidivism (a person's return to criminal behavior) by ensuring positive and coordinated reentry into society, and the accumulation of job skills and education while in prison; and

Addressing the underlying issues of crime with prevention, education and increased opportunity for everyone.

Source