PLEASE STOP ASKING ME WHY WE CANNOT STOP CRIME… I TOLD YOU THINGS WOULD GET BAD
/PLEASE STOP ASKING ME WHY WE CANNOT STOP CRIME… I TOLD YOU THINGS WOULD GET BAD
By: Deon Joseph
People still keep asking me why I can’t stop crime. I’m going keep this in bullet point form so it is easy to digest. Before I do, let me preface it by stating I love my job. I want to crush crime. I want to keep you safe as well as thousands of officers in the way we know we are supposed to but…
• They turned serious crimes into non-serious crimes.
• People have politicized our job.
• They turned violent crimes into nonviolent crimes.
• They removed cash bail and created a revolving door for the criminal element.
• They put parolees on the backs of an already overburdened probation department.
• They defunded us, resulting in a decrease in units designed to combat certain crimes.
• Even if they refunded us, it would have minimal effect on crime, as the laws have no teeth and we won’t be able to keep criminals off the streets no matter how many times we arrest them and the criminals know it.
• We have district attorneys who are public defenders and activists for criminals which created an emboldened criminal element.
• Our elected officials turned their backs on law enforcement officers (and don’t even have the guts to admit they were wrong) while simultaneously tying their hands and as a result…
• Police morale is in the tank due to the above reasons and because we were used as pawns in a sick political game.
• Officers are retiring or moving to agencies where they are supported or just quitting which leads to…
• Slower response times as officers are forced to do more with less, which also leads to…
• Officer burnout
• Departments creating policies that hamstring proactive enforcement
• In many places, agencies are having trouble hiring anyone to do this job.
• Political leaders who still will not even provide moral support for men and women trying to keep people safe in the mess they made.
These are not excuses. This is our reality whether you want to believe it or not. There are thousands of us still out there protecting and serving. As I said, we want to give communities relief from the actions of criminals. We want to see the results of our labor when we take a criminal off the streets. Not for us, but for you.
This is why thousands of us come to work still, in spite of the hate and judgment we receive. We are hanging on by a thread just hoping for the pendulum to swing back so we can effectively do what we know is necessary to keep people safe.
Please don’t send me another message asking me why. Send your next message to your elected officials.
God bless. Be safe.
Deon Joseph is a 26 year veteran of law enforcement in Southern California - 23 of those years working in the homeless community to create an environment conducive to change for those in recovery, as a Lead Officer. He’s been recognized for his work locally and nationally, and news stories and documentaries surrounding his work in crime fighting and community relations, featured him. www.deonjoseph.org
