Law and Order

Americans deserve a nation that is safe. The safe, civil, and orderly functioning of a nation can only be achieved when the laws of the country are being obeyed and the people behave in an organized and peaceful way.

The property and violent crime epidemic we are currently enduring might befit an ill-governed third-world hellhole, but it ought to be utterly unequivocally disgrace to the land of the free and the home of the brave. Americans must rise up in as one to demand better of their public officials at every level of governance. We must stop the absurdity of calling cops "racist" for merely proactively patrolling and stopping crime where actual crime occurs.

Demonizing the police must stop. Police must be given the funding and moral and rhetorical support they need to do their jobs in addition to increasing the number of cops on the beat in crime-ridden jurisdictions all across the nation. It is critical that we protect and support law enforcement officers who risk their lives daily to keep Americans safe.

Implementing solutions to restore law and order in our nation ensures safety and security for all Americans. Securing law and order has become one of our most pressing domestic issues. If the average American is afraid to step outside his or her house, little else in our politics matters.

One of the greatest challenges we face as a country is restoring confidence and trust in our legal system. To do this, we must quickly, consistently, and reliably enforce the law against criminals of all kinds and protect victims of all backgrounds. Equality before the law is our nation’s most fundamental principle. Victims of crime, no matter their background, income, or political affiliation, must be protected, and criminals, no matter who they are, must face the consequences of breaking the law.

Our legal system is also afflicted with the spreading cancer of politically motivated prosecutions that poison trust in the justice system. The continuation of selective outrage, punishment, and division based on race and political agenda will only further divide this country. Law and order benefits all parts of society. The security that stems from law and order is the foundation for economic opportunity.

It is necessary to filter what we see, hear, and read about the violence in the world in order to dial in the reality of our own risk. As we see what appears to be a rise in mass shootings, the probability of dying that way is less than being struck by lightning. But for every school, mall, or store where assault and murder happen that generates days of national news coverage, there are tens of thousands of such places where life went on as usual. That may be of little comfort due to the apparent randomness of this kind of insanity, but the odds are in our favor.

When, however, our government continues a seemingly unstoppable destruction of the safeguards established for public safety, the burden of self-preservation from violence is shifting. There are many steps that businesses and institutions can take to reduce the likelihood of damages from an active shooter event. Regardless of one’s views on the complicated issue of gun ownership, I have seen not one law proposed or enacted that would have prevented any of the attacks on which these proposals are predicated.

It is no coincidence that gun sales have increased as national political figures who are entrenched in the ideology of restricting gun ownership have been in office. It could be arguable that relying on law enforcement, corrections, and the courts and quick summoning of help from a 911 call would mean that means of self-defense are not needed. But that would be the case only when a strong public safety infrastructure was in place. Does that mean I’m encouraging everyone to armor up? That’s a very personal decision. What we see, however, is that the same legislative bodies throwing roadblocks to defending one’s family are the same bodies systematically dismantling the government’s own ability to protect the public while increasing their own personal safety arrangements.

The list of laws proposed and passed includes making it easier to sue the police, disarming traffic enforcement officers, releasing prisoners, prosecuting police officers for justifiable shootings, reducing criminal penalties, and handcuffing law enforcement at every turn. Very few proposals fit the label of police reform, but rather give permission for the lawless to avoid accountability for the crimes of violence that are rising across the nation.

Fear should always be measured by reality, so the decision about measures to safeguard oneself and loved ones is a matter of risk assessment. As measures to muzzle law enforcement, forgive and excuse offenders, and label bad guys as heroes and good guys as villains, it is time to make that assessment. A person living in places other than where urban unrest and anarchist policies are growing, the problem is very real to them as well. Any police officer, small agency or large, will testify that the amount of resistance, confrontation, non-compliance, and disrespect is percolating everywhere.

When serious crime is on the rise, lesser problems of disorder will follow. The reverse is also true, so we can expect a spiraling of crimes against persons and the integrity of personal property. Discouraging traffic enforcement means more dangerous vehicles and dangerous driving will occur. That means the cost of insurance will rise, adding economic uncertainty to the cost of an impotent justice system.

In addition to preparing for economic wounds as well as property and violent crimes increases, every citizen must educate themselves on the good or harm that legislative proposals will do to maintain a healthy society. Ineffective laws that hamper our liberties or our law enforcement professionals must be met with strong resistance from citizens of goodwill and conscience.

Without the rule of law, representative governments are barely distinguishable from dictatorships. In 2000 the UN Under Secretary Pino Arlacchi noted, "Without the rule of law democracies, too, can be unjust. Recent history is full of examples of well-entrenched ethnic, political or religious groups with automatic majorities ruling for decades over minorities, disregarding their rights. It is the rule of law, not majority-based democracy, that protects the weaker group, and the individual members of society, against the vicissitudes of political life."

A culture of lawfulness makes two major contributions to society: it fundamentally changes the dynamics of law enforcement, and it empowers individuals. Each of these contributions can play an essential role in strengthening democracy.

In a society governed by the rule of law, citizens have the ability to participate in the creation and implementation of laws and see that no person or institution is above the law--not even the government. The rights of the minority and the individual are protected through the law. This protection contributes to a society in which the average person believes that the legal system provides the means to attain justice and that a strong legal system enhances the quality of life for everyone. Citizens exercise self-control even when breaking a law would be temporarily advantageous. When the overwhelming majority of citizens are convinced that the rule of law offers them the best chance to secure their rights and achieve their goals, the law is stronger, and individuals are stronger.

A culture of lawfulness changes the dynamics of law enforcement--and builds the rule of law--by marginalizing lawless behavior. Instead of accepting corruption as legitimate or a necessary evil, individuals and societies reject it--and the organized crime and other illicit activities that it feeds and facilitates. Ordinary people are thus engaged as allies and stakeholders in law enforcement rather than neutral observers or worse.

These two components--marginalizing illegality and binding citizens to common rules--are as essential to democracy as giving citizens a voice in government through elections. Together with the notion of inalienable rights, these elements are key to our own democracy, as is summed up most succinctly in the second verse of America the Beautiful, which ends: "Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law!"

A culture of lawfulness can grow even in areas with historic poverty and corruption.

To restore law and order and create a culture of lawfulness, there are a number of items that can be done:

  1.  Increase funding for law enforcement ensuring state and local law enforcement agencies have the resources needed to target and combat violent and drug related crimes.

  2.  Root out weak on crime prosecutors and judges, and keep violent criminals locked up. Stop making heroes out of criminals and turning police officers into villains.

  3.  Detain and deport illegal aliens who have committed crimes in the United States.

  4.  Use public safety tools such as bail and pretrial detention to prevent dangerous offenders from returning to communities.

  5.  Volunteering is one of the best ways to improve law and order in our society. As a citizen, you may decide to volunteer and decide to support officers. It is important to know that there are roles for volunteers. Patrolling, conducting some clerical tasks, rescuing activities, enforcement, and helping with equipment and property inventories are some of the activities or roles for volunteers. By doing this you will improve law and order.

  6.  If you have a good interaction with the police officers, you can share any complaint with the necessary officers. Also, you may have a question that you need to know more about. Do not hesitate to ask. Make sure that you ask and get immediate solutions to your questions. Also, if you have realized or noted some criminal cases, make sure that you report them.

  7.  It is essential to understand that community meetings are one of the easiest ways you can improve law and order. In these meetings, you need to discuss some of the important ways you can employ in your society. Make sure that you have your leaders and also ensure that your society follows some of the rules that you create. Also, it is the responsibility of the residents to communicate with the police representatives to help them solve some of the community cases.

  8.  You will realize that most police departments have citizen advisory boards. If your police department doesn’t have one, start it. These boards help in advising and implementing some of the strategies that will help in reducing disorder and crime. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you participate in these advisory boards to improve law and order in your society.

  9.  You can also help the police in maintaining law and order in your region. You can decide to form groups that you will be watching each other. You need to organize how you will maintain law and order in your various groups. Employ some of the methods that you will be using to communicate with your neighbors and policemen.

NOTE: A pdf version of this document is available by clicking here !

America! What a great place to live.