#VoteSmartJusticeDE
Candidate for District 8
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Yes, as a Marine Corps veteran who battled PTSD after I returned from overseas combat and after I nearly lost my life in combat to a bullet through the neck, I internalized the importance of what we in the Marine Corps call buddy checks – checking on the well-being of those you serve with and those who may have, in the course of their service, been exposed to things that few of us have been called upon to process and none of us should. I also learned the importance of ensuring that those who experience job-related stress and trauma, as Marines do and as police do, are supported and know that they always have access to whatever supportive resources they might need to maintain their personal well-being.
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Yes, I would vote to either end the initiative or to make the changes necessary to ensure that Wilmington families and community members who are not involved in the gang-related activity and related shootings that are taking the lives of so many of our young people are not harassed. Moreover, I would work to ensure that, when it comes to the young people who are currently involved in gang activity and at risk of becoming involved in gang-related violence are being offered positive alternatives to gang activity, including educational and vocational support, as a part of our overall anti-gang and anti-violence efforts.
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As a public defender, I see the consequences every day of a criminal justice system that over the years has criminalized more and more social problems, such as addiction, homelessness and mental illnesses, that are better addressed through diversionary initiatives. I believe that Mayor Purzycki made an excellent choice in bringing Chief Tracy to Wilmington and we have seen real progress in reducing crime, from shootings to car break-ins, under his leadership. I believe Chief Tracy would be the first to say that his officers should not be the first go-to to address every social ill in our city.
As a Marine Corps veteran, I am sympathetic to the challenges that police face when they are called upon to make split-second decisions in circumstances in which their lives or the lives of citizens are threatened. At the same time, as a Marine, I knew that one of the cardinal principles of our military, applicable to me and all I served with, was civilian accountability. The same should be true of anyone who is clothed with the public authority of a uniform and entrusted to deploy instruments of deadly force in our neighborhoods.
Like many cities across the country, we have a history of racial disparities, division and discrimination. One of the primary reasons I am running for City Council is to help move our city forward together as a just and inclusive community. That means investing in our people, particularly our youth and young adults. That means prioritizing jobs for city residents when it comes to our economic development strategy. In the short term, it means acting quickly to create an impactful eviction diversion initiative to head off a looming wave of COVID-related evictions and in the long term it means investing in quality, affordable housing for all of our residents.
#VoteSmartJusticeDE is a nonpartisan education campaign funded by the ACLU of Delaware Action Fund. The ACLU of Delaware does not endorse candidates.
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