From defund to refund: Democrats talk tough on crime

Democrats around the country are getting tougher on crime, after nationwide spikes and frustration with what’s being described as “lawlessness”. 

“It’s time that the reign of criminals who are destroying our city, it is time for it to come to an end,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed while describing the details of a new public safety initiative. 

The announcement from Mayor Breed is a 180-degree turn from defunding the police last year. Now, she is asking for more funding, hiring, increasing police patrols, coordinating better on felony warrant sweeps and other measures to improve safety.

The Mayor’s urgent action comes in the wake of car break-ins, public drug use, defecation, and smash-and-grab robberies that amounted to almost 30 a day in November.

In July 2020, Mayor Breed announced she was taking 120 million dollars from police and sheriff’s departments. But now she is asking for more help from the San Francisco Police Department with what she called, “All the bulls**t that is destroying our city”.

Other prominent Democrats are also using tougher language after endorsing bail, sentencing, and police reforms.

“We need to be tough. We need to be aggressive. We need to prosecute,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom during an episode on “The Issue Is” on Fox 11 Los Angeles with Elex Michaelson. 

“We cannot have that lawlessness become the norm,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at a press conference. 

The White House is also taking a tougher stance. The Biden Administration has provided FBI assistance to cities struggling with crime. Also, they will give federal dollars to police departments so they can hire more officers including those in Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

When asked why these smash-and-grab robberies are happening, the White House Press Secretary said the pandemic could be to blame. “I think a root cause in a lot of communities is the pandemic, yes,” said Jen Psaki. 

It’s not just lawmakers. Retailers who made six- and seven-figure contributions to organizations that support defunding the police and bail reform are now asking Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act, which they say will help with organized crime.

The bill requires online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay to collect and verify sellers’ bank account numbers, government-issued identification, tax identification numbers, and contact information.

Twenty retail CEOs wrote in a letter to Congressional leaders which read in part, “…criminals will continue these brazen thefts as long as they are able to anonymously sell their stolen goods via online marketplaces.”