Public Safety and Crime Prevention

Public safety is not just a single issue. It is a combination of both government-led and community-based efforts that promote safe and stable neighborhoods. 

It is also an issue of trust - trust that has been badly frayed in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and the deaths of Daunte Wright and Amir Locke. Police brutality against Black people and communities of color is unacceptable and must end.

People are worried about the increase in local crime, too. Vandalism, carjackings, thefts, and the reckless use of firearms have left community members frustrated. 

While a police response may be appropriate in all of these situations, not all emergencies are best served by dispatching law enforcement. We need a combination of strategies and investments to ensure the public is safe and protected in our neighborhoods.

We must take advantage of our existing emergency services infrastructure to diversify the resources available to those in need, from dispatching mediation specialists to crisis housing connectors to trained youth workers. 

By identifying and responding to the root causes of crime, we can avoid unnecessarily filling our courts and jails and establish a holistic approach to public safety where police are no longer the only tool in our toolbox.

As your legislator, I will:

  • Expand resources available for proactive, community-led crime prevention programs 

  • Increase police accountability through implementing measures recommended by local and national experts 

  • Strengthen the training requirements for police officers through the Department of Public Safety and Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board

  • Push for legislation that would empower civilian police oversight boards to make findings of fact related to police conduct complaints, and, where misconduct is found, impose sanctions or make enforceable recommendations

  • Advocate for divestment from police to other crisis services where appropriate, establishing a holistic and integrated 911 response model that involves law enforcement, mental health professionals, emergency medical services, and social workers

  • Strengthen common-sense gun violence prevention laws and seek greater compliance and enforcement of existing regulations