When the community and law enforcement are on the same team, promoting safe streets and a peaceful, vibrant city, we all win.

In a recent survey, more than 60% of neighborhood residents cited public safety as their number one concern among all issues facing these voters. When we’re afraid to walk our own streets, something has to change. When I have to send my daughter to the park armed with pepper spray, something has to change.

It’s no wonder our citizens are saying things like,“Maybe it’s time to leave.”

Syringes on the ground. Eighteen straight months of double-digit homicides. Making national news not for our lovely streets and attractive business environment, but for a crime wave whose gravity is only highlighted by a shockingly low solve rate, as 65% of homicides are going unsolved. How can we expect to prevent crime when a murderer has a 2 out of 3 chance of getting away with it? When someone who tries to murder a Jewish mayoral candidate walks out of jail two days later?

Leaving the LMPD “resource-strapped” by demoralizing our police force, diverting resources away from law enforcement, and elected officials claiming that our officers are inherently dangerous isn’t solving anything.

It’s time to promote policies that strengthen and reward outstanding officers, first responders, business owners, and community advocates keeping our Kentucky families safe:

  • Unite the community with LMPD as a team with strong community policing programs.
  • Incentivize training for police officers in de-escalation, mental health support, and victim advocacy the way we incentivize add-on endorsements for educators.
  • Fund technological advancements in monitoring high-crime areas for faster solve rates and convictions.
  • Work together with nonprofit organizations and businesses who pour time and resources into helping released and reformed offenders find a prosperous, safe path forward.
  • Create incentives for businesses in high-crime areas to join forces with local law enforcement by increasing their security, both with technology and trained personnel.

I support the passionate prosecution of violent offenders and the type of detective work that brings down theft rings that plague our city, but our Persistent Felony Offender law is filling our prisons with inequity, huge expense, and drug offenses without regard to addiction and what strategies might actually help. I support reforming PFO laws to focus on violent crime and offenders who have been imprisoned twice.

Let’s get to work, because when the community and law enforcement are on the same team, promoting safe streets and a peaceful, vibrant city, we all win.