A former Trump adviser is spearheading a public safety-focused organization to combat the cries to “Defund the Police” that he says have hurt communities like the one he grew up in.
Ja’Ron Smith, who served as special assistant to the president for domestic policy, said the goal of his coalition named Public Safety Solutions for America is to foster “smart-on-crime” policies that can have bipartisan support.
Mr. Smith also played a key role in helping the Trump administration put together their signature criminal justice reform package, the First Step Act.
“Our folks aren’t just doing it for the politics, [but] because we think it’s the right thing to do,” Mr. Smith told The Washington Times. “Trump got on board with supporting [First Step Act] because it was the right thing to do. More work like that can be done.”
The First Step Act, which received bipartisan support, aimed to reduce the U.S. prison population and the recidivism rate, while also shoring up oversight of prisons, and reduce the sentencing rate for nonviolent drug offenses.
Mr. Smith said he was inspired to create the coalition due to witnessing increased violent crime while living in the District of Columbia where he grew up. He also hopes to fight back against a far-left push to strip funding from law enforcement.
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He said post-pandemic, he would hear random gunshots outside of his home and was aware of a murder in broad daylight across the street from him. Mr. Smith has since moved to the Maryland suburbs.
“As much as I want to live in the community, I have to protect my family first,” Mr. Smith said. “But there are so many people who live in that community who can’t afford to change communities and have to live with the violence around them.”
Public Safety Solutions for America will focus on advocacy efforts to fully fund the police, help coordination between community mental health and addiction service organizations and law enforcement, and look to cities with strong public safety incentives and deterrence measures in place.
Those partnering with the organization include criminal justice advocate Alice Marie Johnson, who was pardoned by former President Donald Trump, and Brett Tolman, the executive director for Right on Crime.
Crime has been a top issue for Republicans in the midterms, as Election Day draws near.
• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.
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