Davies: Backing the Blue with training, tools, personnel, prosecutions
Nearly 25 years ago I moved out of Philadelphia and settled in Franconia Township, known as the Garden Spot of Montgomery County. There were many reasons behind the move out of the city, but chief among them was the violent crime then engulfing my Frankford neighborhood. Sadly, Frankford, Juniata, Kensington, and Mayfair are worse than ever today. The past two years have seen an explosion of violence, shown almost daily on the local news. I take this personally because I still have friends and family living there.
While we have not seen that level of violence in Montgomery County, we are seeing crime increase. As I talk with voters throughout Senate District 12 I hear stories that paint a concerning picture. One had her home burglarized recently. Another had a drive-by shooting in front of his home. The danger of carjacking is now a reality here. Many are concerned that violence will continue to spread out from the city, which they now avoid traveling to.
So what is to be done?
We can start by acknowledging that “Defund the Police” was a monumentally bad idea. The men and women we expect to show up when trouble strikes need the best training and equipment. They also deserve to be properly paid for the risks they take. In the long run, this is far less expensive than allowing violent and repeat offenders to prey on our communities.
Many departments have job openings they struggle to fill. One reason for this is the vilification of all police for the misdeeds of a few. Too many politicians have tried to score cheap political points with this tactic, but the result is to make the work of the police more difficult and dangerous while making all of us less safe. Political leaders need to stand behind the police who are doing their job the right way.
When I talk to police the one thing they ask for is to be allowed to do their job. They need to be able to engage with the community, not just answer radio calls. But having the police arrest criminals does no good if prosecutors refuse to do their job and instead set violent offenders free. Criminal acts should not be consequence free. We need to hold prosecutors accountable for failing to enforce the law.
These are all common sense policies: ensure that the police have the training, tools, and personnel needed; support police who are following the law; prosecute and punish criminals. The failure of the governing class to follow these time-tested ideas has had devastating consequences for our community. The time for change is now.
This article originally appeared on The Intelligencer: Davies: Backing the Blue with training, tools, personnel, prosecutions
