Dear Editor:
As we continue to read about senseless acts of violence that take the lives of our young people, it is imperative to address the problem of gangs, drugs and gun trafficking, as incidents are often directly related to these three culprits. In combating these issues, federal, state, county and local levels of law enforcement must work in concert to protect our communities.
As I greatly respect the mission of law enforcement agencies, legislative bodies must enable authorities with laws that are able to attack the problems that harm our communities. While we have made legislative strides in addressing gang and gun violence, we must continue to discourage the unlawful transfer of firearms in our communities. Stricter laws for illegal gun ownership and detrimental gang activity are paramount to curbing attacks on our neighborhoods.
Furthermore, preventative measures must be taken in order to avert acts of violence. Recreational and faith-based community groups serve as deterrents from violence for our children. Families should take advantage of local facilities such as libraries, swimming pools and parks to form constructive habits for children before negative influences are able to impact them during adolescent years.
As the last weeks of summer are enjoyed and focus is placed on returning to school, I will be working alongside local law enforcement to ensure that we are doing everything we can to keep our streets safe. In turn, I encourage residents to remain alert to negative changes or problems in our community, so that such matters may be immediately addressed with the help of the police.
Sincerely,
Brian P. Stack
State Senator