The 4Tucson annual Reception and Blessing Breakfast for Elected Officials and First Responders was held on January 28. It was a packed house; the safest place to be in Tucson with our first responders all in one room! The sense of patriotism and commitment to community was seen throughout the program as Joseph Morgan sang the National Anthem, the Oro Valley Police Color Guard and the Golder Ranch Fire District Color Guard posted the colors, and blessings were made to protect our first responders and elected officials. Pastor Mark Harris, 4Tucson Founder and CEO, delivered an introspective message of hope.
The TALK
We need that message in our community, and we need it in our country. Last year saw the highest number of law enforcement officers who were intentionally killed in the line of duty since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; 73 officers died in felonious killings in the line of duty in 2021. This past year broke the record for the most homicides in a single year in Tucson. The Crime Index in Tucson is 5. FIVE—100 is safest. That means we are safer than 5% of the U.S. cities. The national median violent crime rate (per 1,000 residents) is 4; Tucson is 7.09. Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, assault) are higher than the U.S. violent crime rates in EVERY CATEGORY. Property crime (burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft) is again higher than the U.S. median in every category. And Tucson crimes per square mile is 105 while the national median is 26.9. Crime is out of control in Tucson.
Tucson elected a mayor who selectively assigns guilt rather than innocence until you are proven guilty. In a recent police-related shooting, Romero called the Police Officer’s actions “unconscionable and indefensible” before the investigation was complete. The Mayor and City Council continue to recklessly fund the Tucson Police Department as it faces its lowest staffing level in decades, and recruiting efforts are dismal as the TPD loses 12% of its force per year. And, Joe Biden and the United States Senate approve the failed TPD leader to head up Customs and Border Protection (CBP)!
There’s the TALK, so where’s the DO. How often have you heard “elections have consequences”? They do. The crime in this community is directly correlated to the elected officials—the Tucson City Council, the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors. We are responsible for the crime in this community because we put those people in office. When I started in this position, I suggested we run a slate of former first responder candidates who were PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST candidates. After speaking with many first responder officials, we could not find candidates to run for City Council on a PUBLIC SAFETY platform. They were conservative; they were Republican, but they said they couldn’t win in a city-wide race. So, time for the DO.
The DO
We will be running an initiative on the 2023 ballot for Ward-Only nonpartisan City of Tucson races. We will need 25,000-30,000 signatures from Tucson residents. We will need you to get signatures. We will need you to get out the vote and vote for ward-only elections. It’s simple, Ladies and Gentlemen; we either get off the couch and get to work or you will be 1 of the 27 people in Tucson likely to become a victim of a property crime or 1 of the 141 to become a victim of a violent crime. The Pima County Republican Party supports first responders—police, fire, EMS, border patrol, sheriff, DPS—all first responders. If you are a first responder, THANK YOU. If you know a first responder, please forward them this E-Tracks. Let them know we care. If you are ready to stop CRIME in Tucson and Pima County, please join me.
A special thanks to 4Tucson for a program of prayer and hope as we bless our first responders.