On the short list of unarguable roles we ALL expect and need our government to play
I believe Law Enforcement is at the very top of that list!
And how our government executes that duty is one of the most significant factors that directly affects our ability to enjoy safe communities!
The amount of lawlessness we are currently seeing in our country is shocking! How did we get to this place?
There is an ancient proverb that says…
“Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.”
Allowing laws to be broken without consequences HAS CONSEQUENCES!
And one of those consequences is an INCREASE in laws being broken!
Without a doubt the way rioting, looting and violence against police officers during 2020-21 was handled is a significant contributor to how we got to where we are as a country.
And how we handle crime going forward will significantly impact our future experience as a nation, state and city!
I believe in strongly upholding the rule of law!
And I believe in strongly supporting those on the frontline of stewarding that task on our behalf… our police force!
The amount of disrespect, sometimes to the point of disdain, that was shown toward police, expressed by a significant disregard for their authority, did damage to the moral soul of our country.
Damage that has sent us moving in a wrong direction!
A direction that has yet to be adequately countered!
Inertia in physics is a property of matter that makes an object stay in the same position or continue to move in a straight line until its state is changed by an external force.
The death of George Floyd was an “external force” impacting the status quo of where we had been regarding our relationship with law enforcement
and a fundamental change occurred
sending us in a different direction!
I don’t believe we will just automatically return to our previous normal!
Nor do I think we should completely… no one would claim we had reached perfection.
I also don’t believe our current direction is acceptable!
Therefore I believe we need to initiate intentional counter forces
that create change
and get us moving in the right direction!
If elected mayor, my priorities, specifically in terms of what the mayor has direct control of, that I believe would generate the necessary force (F.O.R.C.E.) to create the change in direction we need are…
- Forging solidarity! – …because to serve on the front, you must know that your mayor has your back!
- Optimal leadership! – …because the mayor’s role isn’t to figure out the “how to,” it is to figure out the “who to!”
- Relevant metrics! – …because “Trust but verify” continues to be the way of wisdom for delegating without abdicating and for ensuring we are getting on and staying on the right course!
- Community engagement! – …because no one loves rules enforcement without relationship engagement!
- Endorsing campaign! – …because we have MUCH to be proud of with our police officers!
