Highlights
Vicariously or directly, the overwhelming majority of Americans are significantly impacted by violence and overall crime.
University of California: “Our main conclusion is that almost everybody is touched by this…”
“We had people who responded that they passed sidewalk memorials 25 times or more a week, and I thought, at what point does living in your neighborhood resemble living in a cemetery? What does that do to your sense of a future for your community and yourself?”
Article
Per the FBI and Gallup, violence is exploding in America. Fear of crime is at an all-time high. Firearm and security sales are skyrocketing. People are moving from cities. For high crime communities, they are devastated by fear and the loss of jobs and places to buy groceries.
But, like COVID fatigue, people have become immune to crime and violence. It no longer has the impact it once did. For many, if you don’t live in or near distressed communities, you no longer care about the suffering of fellow citizens.
Vicarious Victimization
I understand the reluctance to embrace the fact that people are dramatically impacted by violence. But there is a ton of research regarding vicarious victimization and what causes people to flee or disinvest themselves from high crime areas or cities.
Fear of crime is a substantial concern but fear doesn’t necessarily translate into action beyond self-protection. Policy changes fade because people have simply become complacent with criminality that seems to be out of their control.
But the data below offers new perspectives as to the impact of violence. Per research from the University of California, “Our main conclusion is that almost everybody is touched by this.”
Violence Impacts Most People (edited for brevity)
Research led by UC Davis Professor Garen Wintemute shows that violence indirectly impacts most Californians. Though relatively few may experience or witness a violent act, a large majority of surveyed Californians reported having an “experience of violence” (EV). These included hearing gunshots in their neighborhood, encountering a sidewalk memorial to a violent death or learning about a violent event through their social network. The research was published in the journal Injury Epidemiology.
“If we ask broadly about the experience of violence, rather than focusing on acute events, we find that two-thirds of Californians have a direct personal stake,” said Wintemute, who directs the UC Davis Health Violence Prevention Research Program and is an emergency department physician. “Our main conclusion is that almost everybody is touched by this, and we’re a state with relatively low rates of firearm violence. I would expect the situation would be worse in many other states.”
While most violence research focuses on personal victimization, the UC Davis Health team took a broader view to better understand how these acts become embedded in communities. The survey indicates experiences of violence are perilously widespread:
- An estimated 3.4 million Californians may have three or more EVs.
- 5 million personally know multiple people who have been intentionally shot.
- 3 million know people who may be at risk of committing violence against themselves or others.
“We had people who responded that they passed sidewalk memorials 25 times or more a week,” said Wintemute. “And I thought, at what point does living in your neighborhood resemble living in a cemetery? What does that do to your sense of a future for your community and yourself?”
In addition to hearing gunshots or seeing memorials, survey EVs included being aware of someone who had been intentionally shot by someone else, intentionally shot themselves or might commit a violent act (against another person or themself).
Of the 2,870 respondents, 64.6% reported one or more EVs; 11% reported three or more. Women and men had similar experiences.
In California, a legal mechanism known as a Gun Violence Restraining Order can temporarily remove firearms and ammunition from people at risk of harming themselves or others.
The group is now working on a follow-up study to measure how these experiences may impact mental and physical health.
“If we show they are associated with ill effects, we may be able to intervene,” said Wintemute. “There are few people in California who can say this does not affect them, and since we’re all involved, let’s work together on solutions.”
A Growing Crime Problem For At Least Half Of American Households
Per Gallup, if 30 percent of urban-household residents (big and small cities) were victimized by crime in 2021 (up from 22 percent) and if 28 percent (up from 20 percent) of households say a computer hacker stole personal, credit card or financial information, it indicates a growing crime problem for at least half of American households.
Every Hour In America, A Child Is Shot.
From The Marshall Project: Gun violence claimed the lives of at least 2,200 children in 2020 and the tally for 2021 is expected to be worse. The vast majority of victims are teenagers and the vast majority of those victims are Black, who are four times as likely to die by gun violence as White youth. Here are the wrenching profiles of 13 young lives taken last year, including two sisters who were so close in life they were buried together in a shared coffin, Washington Post.
Conclusions
This site has shared data as to the high rates of victimization and fear concerns of African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, the disabled, the elderly, and everyone else.
As I was taught in federal emergency communications courses when I was a director of public information for a huge state justice agency, facts rarely persuade people. Individuals and groups have preconceived notions about everything and many believe that moving or self-protection measures neutralize their chances for victimization.
But as the University of California research indicates, almost all of us are victimized by violence.
Per Gallup, data indicates a growing crime problem for at least half of American households.
Vicariously or directly, the overwhelming majority of Americans are significantly impacted by violence and crime. If that doesn’t translate into policy actions, if we don’t care about the suffering of our fellow citizens, then what does that say about us?
‘Enough already’: Sig Sauer announces major backing of national ‘re-fund the police’ campaign
NEWINGTON, NH – Law Enforcement Today is pleased to share that Sig Sauer, highly respected and immensely popular leader in the firearms industry, has joined us as a corporate sponsor in our campaign to “Re-Fund the Police.”
As a Law Enforcement Today reader, you know that we have put forth a campaign to back the blue and support re-funding efforts, while calling attention to both the adverse effects of defunding the police, and the positive effects that our dedicated protectors in law enforcement create every single day.
In this campaign, we put out a call for individual and corporate sponsors to join us in this mission.
Sig Sauer, with its honorable and lengthy history of supporting law enforcement, answered that call with a generous donation, standing with us and with our brothers and sisters in blue.
From its humble beginnings as a German gun company in 1751 and a Swiss wagon factory in 1853 who merged in 1875 to its current status as a firearms industry leader, Sig Sauer has remained synonymous with expert, state-of-the art craftsmanship and reliability.
Sig Sauer has also cultivated a close working relationship with law enforcement over the decades of its existence, marrying its expertise with the needs of those who serve.
As the Sig Sauer website states:
“It is the largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers that includes J.P. Sauer & Sohn and Blaser, Gmbh. in Germany.
“This global network of companies gives SIG SAUER a world-class firearms knowledge base, unparalleled design expertise, and extensive manufacturing capacity, enabling the company to respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and the needs of its military, law enforcement, and commercial markets worldwide.”
In addition to state-of-the art equipment such as firearms, ammunition, optics, suppressors, and air guns, Sig also provides top-of-the line training for law enforcement officers and others.
Sig Sauer Academy, located in Epping, NH, offers firearms and tactics training to everyone from first-time gun owners to the most elite levels of law enforcement and military. This facility “features state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor ranges, tactical training areas, urban environments, a shoot house, a maritime training area, and a force-on-force village.”
We recently sat down with Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive VP of Commercial Sales, to learn more about Sig Sauer’s decision to back our campaign to “Re-fund the Police.”
Taylor told us:
“The minute we heard the concept, it resonated with us here at Sig Sauer, because it’s so disgusting to us, the whole “defund the police” mentality….
“The police were already shorthanded, there’s never enough training, there’s never enough equipment, there’s never enough people, there’s never enough resources.
“And then you throw at them this ‘defund the police’ mess, to put it politely.”
He added:
“It just disgusts us, when we see specific incidents of police agencies like Austin, who have gone so all-in to this concept of taking resources away from an operation that is already underfunded.
“Who is going to help save lives when they’re needed? It’s harder and harder to get police officers where they’re needed, on time, because of a lack of resources….
“You hear the 911 calls where people are calling in the middle of a riot in Atlanta, and they say, we’re really sorry but there are no police officers to send to your aid right now.
“It’s disgusting.”
Taylor explained further that raising money is itself important, but the plans to raise awareness and share the truth with the public are equally significant.
He continued:
“I think it’s important to educate the public that there’s a problem….
“No matter how much money we raise in this effort, it’s also very important that we let the world know that the police need resources and they need money.”
Taylor added that a further advantage to educating the public would be to improve the reputation of law enforcement as a career.
He told us:
“We also need to try to re-engage young people to be police officers, because that used to be such a noble and admirable thing, and now it’s becoming so difficult to be a police officer, and to have young people aspire to be in law enforcement.
“We want to communicate to the world that it’s ok to be a cop.”
Taylor expanded further upon Sig Sauer’s ties with law enforcement, saying:
“It’s in our DNA…. We work closely [at Sig Sauer Academy] with military and law enforcement….
“It’s a big part of who our Academy personnel are; they are all current or former military and cops… and so they are such thought leaders for our company for both training and equipment and importantly, mindset.
“When we are developing a new product, we go talk to them.”
He added:
“Our CEO [Ron Cohen] served in the Israeli military for five years, and our dedication to supporting law enforcement and military runs so deep in this company…. The moment I mentioned the ‘refunding the police’ concept to our CEO, he immediately wanted to support this cause.”
Taylor concluded:
“We absolutely want to let the world know how much we support the thousands of police agencies and hundreds of thousands of officers who carry our products, and those who don’t….
“It doesn’t matter what product they use, they need our support.
“We are doing this because we have so much respect for our police officers, and it is very disappointing that a part of our society allowed something called ‘defund the police’ to become part of our culture, truly sad.”
In addition to its generous financial support, Sig Sauer will also be throwing its own marketing efforts behind the “Re-Fund the Police” campaign, amplifying the message on their social networks.
To learn more about Sig Sauer products and training, visit Sig Sauer at their website, SigSauer.com.
You can also follow Sig Sauer on their Facebook page, their Twitter feed, their Instagram account, and their LinkedIn account.
Law Enforcement Today is immensely grateful for Sig Sauer’s strong stand to support all those who protect and serve, and we look forward to working together with Sig to “Re-Fund Our Police” and expand public understanding of the the daily good deeds of our protectors in blue, as well as the adverse effects of defunding the police.
“Re-Fund the Police”: Law Enforcement Today launches nationwide campaign for Americans to back the blue
Editor note: In 2020, we saw a nationwide push to “defund the police”. While we all stood here shaking our heads wondering if these people were serious… they cut billions of dollars in funding for police officers. And as a result, crime has skyrocketed – all while the same politicians who said “you don’t need guns, the government will protect you” continued their attacks on both our police officers and our Second Amendment rights.
And that’s exactly why we’re launching this national crowdfunding campaign as part of our efforts to help “re-fund the police”.
For those looking for a quick link to get in the fight and support the cause, click here.
—
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – You back the Blue. You support the police. You quietly buy an officer a cup of coffee at your local coffeehouse. You bring homemade cookies to your local police station. You make it a point to thank an officer when you see one out in public.
You watch the news, aghast to see crowds of anti-police protesters and rioters committing acts of violence and massive property damage. You pray daily for the Blue family.
And yet, you may feel quite alone.
Politicians and the mainstream news media would have you think that police support is at an all-time low.
Some of you may have found it necessary to take down your Thin Blue Line flags from your house, or to scrape off the Thin Blue Line sticker from your vehicles, due to the potential for violent retaliation by those who hate the police.
Yes, it is the loudest voices that are the ugliest. They revile and attack those who back the Blue. They call, “Defund the Police!” at every turn, fueled by the lie that police officers are racists who are out to kill.
But you are actually in excellent company in your support of the blue family.
According to a Gallup poll, 85% of Americans support law enforcement. That means supporters of the Thin Blue Line are 285 million strong.
That would be 285 million who, like you, refuse join in the calls to defund the police.
And that means you are in the company of those who have logic and reason on their side.
After all, we at Law Enforcement Today bring you stories daily of exploding crime in police-defunded areas such as Austin, Portland, New York City, or Los Angeles.
Homicide rates since defunding are up 58% in Atlanta, up 533% in Portland, and up 37% in Philadelphia.
Shootings in post-defunded New York City are up 64%, and they are up 51% in Los Angeles and up 18% in Chicago.
In addition, you have also followed our disturbing and often tragic stories of attacks on police officers in the era of police defunding.
Felonious attacks on police are on the rise, as documented by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Data Collection.
According to LEOKA:
“The 50 law enforcement officers feloniously killed in the first 8 months of 2021 represent a 51.5 percent increase compared to the 33 officers killed during the same period in 2020.”
Also thanks to defunding, police departments across the country now lack training, resources, and equipment. Ironically, calls for additional training in cultural awareness, de-escalation, and use of force often have to go unheeded due to the lack of financial resources.
Another irony is that the push to do away with less-lethal options such as Tasers and tear gas will simply lead to more fatal police shootings.
These alarming stories and statistics indicate beyond a doubt that defunding the police is absolutely the wrong move for this great country. You know this, yet you and 285 million other voices are all too often silenced by social pressures as well as physical threats of violence.
You are even told, “Silence is violence,” when it comes to refusing to stand against law enforcement.
Your voice matters, and you need to be heard.
As Law Enforcement Today National Spokesman Kyle Reyes points out:
“Americans have stood by in disbelief as this ‘defund the police’ movement has spread across America and ravaged our communities.
“We’ve watched our cities burn, our officers be attacked and violence skyrocket.
“It’s time to come out of the twilight zone. It’s time to fight back.”
Law Enforcement Today, the nation’s largest police-owned media outlet, has developed a way to make your voice heard and oppose those who would seek to remove funding from those who protect and serve.
It’s called the “Re-Fund the Police” campaign.
Reyes explains:
“We wanted to make the “Re-fund the Police” campaign something that everyone- whether you can spare $1 or $1 million – can be a part of.
“People will donate to politicians all day long in hopes that person will get elected and possibly make a difference.
“We are asking for people to come forward and support those who make a difference and save lives every single day.”
Through your generous donations, Law Enforcement today will direct a media and advertising blitz to rally other Americans who, like you, are done with attacks on law enforcement, both physical and financial.
Here’s what the funds go towards:
- We’ve assembled a “strike team” of researchers and reporters who will delve deeply into the devastating impact that defunding the police has on communities and families. They’re going after not just the “leaders” in Congress who are pushing to defund the police… but they’re exposing everyone from the local politicians and city councils who are behind it. They’re also tracing the money of exactly who is funding this “defund the police” movement.
- We will focus on publicizing all the negative effects of defunding police while expressing support for our brothers and sisters in blue. The advertising blitz will be a show of support for police officers all across America.
In addition, we will be sending a team of reporters into our communities to share positive stories of law enforcement, stories which are consistently ignored by the mainstream media.
As a thank-you for your generosity in standing strong for the blue family, we are offering access codes for Law Enforcement Today’s Wounded Officer documentary and Border Crisis documentary. In addition, we offer additional perks such as stickers and Thin Blue Line face masks or yard signs.
Donors are also able to honor or memorialize a member of the blue family.
For those who cannot afford to contribute, we invite you to be a part of a nationwide chain of prayer warriors.
You can join our prayer chain along with other supporters who are willing to pray for our brothers and sisters in blue.
Also, when you sign up for our newsletter, we will keep you informed on how we are continuing to back the Blue, and bring you the stories the mainstream media will not touch.
Now to small businesses who are sick and tired of watching our cities burn as the “defund the police” movement spreads.
For business donors, we are pleased to offer a unique opportunity to make a difference in police departments across the country.
Reyes explains:
“We wanted to make sure small businesses could get in the fight, so we are rolling out the ‘adopt a police department’ program.”
Your business donation will be used to cover stories in the community of your choice, and expose those who are attempting to defund the police. Those stories, if you choose, will also include a thank you to your business and a link back to your business website.
In addition, your generous business donation will go toward advertising campaigns that highlight the negative effects of demonizing and defunding the police.
This will give you the opportunity to show to millions of Americans that, unlike “woke” anti-police organizations, you support and appreciate law enforcement.
Reyes points out:
“Corporate America rallied around the Black Lives Matter movement, donating hundreds of millions of dollars to a campaign that brought widespread looting and destruction in our cities.
“This is an opportunity for businesses to show America that law and order and keeping people safe still means something to them.”
Please join your voice with Law Enforcement Today in this campaign to support all those who protect and serve us.
We invite you to visit the Re-Fund the Police website for further information.
If you have questions, or you want to start your own fundraising team, feel free to email us at [email protected]
It’s time to get in the fight.
______________
Want to make sure you never miss a story from Law Enforcement Today? With so much “stuff” happening in the world on social media, it’s easy for things to get lost.
