Trump backs law-enforcement community to keep Americans safe | Opinion
As Florida’s Attorney General, I have seen first-hand President Trump’s decisive leadership, his unwavering support and collaboration with state and local law enforcement. Whether it was his immediate recognition of the public health crisis that the opioid epidemic represents, fighting against the scourge of human trafficking or directing the federal response against rising violence in urban areas, Trump has delivered definitively.
When he took office, the opioid crisis was devastating communities with more than 42,000 deaths in 2016. Trump applied an all-of-government approach, including providing more than $9 billion in grants to states and localities. Prior to COVID-19, these extraordinary efforts were bearing fruit with high-dose opioid prescriptions falling by 16 percent and a 20 percent increase in young adults receiving outpatient treatment. Federal authorities seized record amounts of illegal opioids and shut down the biggest distributor of drugs on the darknet.
On human trafficking, Trump again recognized the scope of the problem early and responded decisively. He signed nine pieces of bipartisan legislation combating human trafficking. The president executed several executive orders directing the federal government to focus on the problem, partner with state and local law enforcement, and deliver results. In 2018, the Department of Justice shut down the leading site for online sex trafficking. In the last three years, ICE arrested over 5,000 human traffickers. President Trump has directed hundreds of millions of dollars combating this dreadful menace, including $123 million toward supporting state and local efforts on this issue in this year’s budget.
From day one, Trump has supported law enforcement officers, like my husband, and expressed concern regarding the growing challenges they face. He created a commission to study these challenges, including use of force, community relations, training, and recruitment. I am honored to serve on that commission. Shortly, that commission will release a report that will present real solutions to address these problems and not the dangerous tag line, “Defund the police,” which would make Americans less safe and problems in law enforcement worse.
Facing growing lawlessness and rising violent crime in certain cities, Trump again swiftly directed the federal government to surge federal law enforcement officers into high-crime cities in what is now known as Operation Legend. As of the beginning of September, more than 2,000 arrests have been made, more than 1,200 firearms, 70 kilos of meth, 17 kilos of heroin, seven kilos of fentanyl and $5.19 million in drug proceeds have been seized from criminals. In Chicago, since the operation began, there has been a 50 percent decrease in homicides, proving what the president already knew — that defunding and waging war on the police is not the answer.
President Trump has delivered bold action on the challenges America faces and will continue to do so going forward.
Ashley Moody is Florida attorney general.
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 3:49 PM.