Safety and security
The National average response time for police assistance is about 10 minutes; Oregon is reportedly the worst.
With recent events, we must reduce and remove barriers to self security. By focusing on peer interactions, getting to know our neighbors, and building cooperative programs to enhance security we can, and will, provide equal opportunity for the safety and security of our population.
Significant challenges have been presented with infringement of the rights to self defense. Private access, ownership, and carry of firearms is an imperative right for all.
Article I Section 27 of the Oregon State Constitution addresses this in no uncertain terms.
"Right to Bear Arms; Military Subordinate to Civil Power
The people shall have the right to bear arms for the defence [sic] of themselves, and the State, but the Military shall be kept in strict subordination to the civil power[.]"
We have allowed our elected to pass egregious unconstitutional laws to limit our capacity to provide for our own self defense.
We must also work with Law Enforcement to reduce their workload to prioritized functions and fund training without expansion.
The world of the Andy Griffith show is long gone, but the sentiment of that type of community policing still has merit.
I envision a world where, because of individual responsibility, our local "Barney" keeps his bullet in his pocket.
The easiest way to reform policing is to reduce the need for policing.
Repealing the excessive laws that require more and more Law Enforcement, reduces, not only, our tax burdens, but the risks of Officers as well.
If the crime is a fine, it's only purpose is to keep the wallets of the poor empty. If the only victim of the crime is the government, the crime is only a tax.
We have created a Nanny State for the sake of protection, but have failed to note the exchange of consequences. Vehicle infractions, code enforcement, the war on drugs, and prostitution, are all good examples of unnecessary laws that exchange a consequence. Many of these laws have the same consequences: the difference is the delivery method, or rather, the delivery by cop.
We made steps this cycle to end the drug war in Oregon, but it's not enough. We must reverse the laws that made drugs of all types illegal and reduce the number of random stop excuses to keep our Law Enforcement community from being revenue streams.
The public should not live in fear of being pulled over. Many of our laws were created to battle problems that didn't exist and remain to add funding to the government.
Media like "1984", "Animal Farm", "Minority Report", "Judge Dredd", and "RoboCop" have all been referenced in recent times.
The idea of "Judge Dredd", where a single individual is judge, jury, and executioner, has been a consistent conversation with Law Enforcement killing citizens. Breonna Taylor, Duncan Lemp, George Floyd, and in very recent events, John Hurley (who stopped a shooter in CO, only to be killed by law enforcement), and Robert Delgado, who was killed by Portland Police, in Oregon, are all examples of reasons to reform, and in some cases, defund Law Enforcement.
The first step is to end Qualified Immunity for all Oregon public employees and elected. The Oregon State Constitution, Article I, Section 1, states:
"Natural Rights Inherent in People
We declare that all men, when they form a social compact are equal in right: that all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness; and they have at all times a right to alter, reform, or abolish the government in such manner as they may think proper."
Our government is created by the citizens, for the citizens, of the citizens, and none are above the law.