Public Safety

Public safety starts with making sure local police, fire departments, EMS, schools, and community organizations have the tools and support they need to respond when something goes wrong.

But strong public safety is also about preventing problems before they become emergencies. That means addressing substance use, mental health needs, domestic violence, housing instability, and other challenges that can put people at greater risk.

When someone is experiencing a mental health or substance-use crisis, we should make sure the response matches the need. Law enforcement will always have an important role in keeping people safe, but not every crisis is best handled primarily through the criminal justice system.

We should support effective law enforcement while also expecting transparency, professionalism, and accountability. Public safety and civil liberties should reinforce each other, not compete with one another.

Technology can be useful, but it should not become an excuse for unchecked surveillance. Tools that collect information about where people go or what they do should have clear limits, strong privacy protections, public oversight, and a demonstrated public-safety benefit.

Local communities should also have a meaningful role in deciding what public safety looks like where they live. The needs of a small rural town may be very different from those of a larger community, and policy should recognize that.

The goal is straightforward: safer communities, effective emergency response, strong prevention, and public institutions people can trust.