One concern I consistently hear from people across the 28th District is this:

People want to feel safe again.

That concern comes from parents, seniors, healthcare workers, teachers, small business owners, and even longtime residents who say they no longer recognize parts of their own communities.

Regardless of political affiliation, most people agree on something simple:

Public safety is not a partisan issue.

It is a basic responsibility of government.

Families want safe neighborhoods. Business owners want employees and customers to feel secure. First responders want policies that allow them to do their jobs effectively. Communities want accountability, compassion, and common sense working together — not competing against each other.

Many residents support reform where reform is needed. They support fairness, accountability, and appropriate oversight. But they also believe policies must reflect real-world consequences and practical realities faced by law enforcement officers, emergency responders, healthcare workers, and communities themselves.

Increasingly, people are asking whether state leadership has lost sight of balance.

Small business owners talk about theft becoming normalized. Healthcare workers describe increasing violence in hospitals and emergency departments. Residents express frustration about open drug use, repeat offenders, and the visible deterioration of public spaces in some areas.

At the same time, many people also recognize that addiction, mental illness, homelessness, and economic hardship are complex issues that require more than slogans or political talking points.

We cannot arrest our way out of every problem.

But we also cannot ignore the consequences communities are experiencing every day.

Washington families deserve leadership willing to approach public safety honestly:

• support law enforcement accountability
• support first responders
• support mental health and addiction treatment
• support prevention and intervention
• and also recognize that communities cannot thrive without safety and order

These are not competing priorities.

A healthy society requires both compassion and accountability.

The people I speak with are not asking for extremes.

They are asking for balance.

And increasingly, they feel that common sense has been lost somewhere in the political noise.

Public trust is restored when leaders are willing to acknowledge reality — even when the solutions are difficult.

And right now, many people simply want leadership willing to have honest conversations again.

—

Resources for Independent Review

• Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
• FBI Crime Data Explorer
• Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission
• Washington State Department of Health Behavioral Health Data
• Washington State Hospital Association Workplace Violence Reports