Alan's Positions
CRIME
I will not ignore the
immediate needs for the reduction of crime in our district.
There has been a dramatic increase that should concern us all.
A big question in how we address this issue pertains to our
perception of the cost of lawlessness for society.
A peaceful society
enables both families and businesses to feel safe. Therefore, law
enforcement is critical to enabling us to experience the freedom
that we are due and, thereby, enable our society to continue to
flourish. Political DFL leadership has allowed the situation to
deteriorate so much in the 5th Congressional District,
that this premise is falling into question. As a Congressman, it is
not only about my ability to channel federal resources to support
the police, but in using clout to challenge the leaders within the
district to support our valued law enforcement properly.
The issue of crime
in the community is not only a matter of law enforcement, but a
matter of dealing with certain societal issues involving family,
neighborhoods, and communities. But, pertaining to law enforcement,
I have learned, among other things, that police need:
- Representative
police leadership (people that understand the streets) and not
just politically expedient appointments. Leaders that the
officers themselves respect and can work with.
- Centralized
information systems that are user friendly and that, therefore,
enable law enforcement to better identify and, thereby, enable
the courts to prosecute criminals
- Sufficient
forensic science laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment
that better enables crime investigation teams to their jobs
- More police
support. The police themselves are clearly being stretched
beyond the ability of the police forces to effectively serve,
and this needs to be corrected. Hundreds more police need to be
hired.
- More stringent
guidelines to ensure that criminals are prosecuted and that they
serve their sentences appropriately. This requires resources.
As your representative, I will work
hard to ensure that law enforcement has the necessary resources to
properly address crime within our district.
Also, I will
support legislation that responsibly protects our second Amendment
rights.
