If the federal government were to attempt an overtly unconstitutional gun control overreach, which side would the police take? We just got our answer loud and clear — and it’s music to the ears of liberty-lovers across this country. The police are an integral part of the communities they serve. They represent both the community...
When the legislature creates a criminal statute that is punishable by a fine alone, meaning that incarceration is not a potential consequence even if the offender is found guilty of the alleged conduct, the legislature is making the statute’s intended use clear. It would shock Texans if certain offenses were manipulated as a “tool” for...
When property tax reform—embodied in Senate Bill 2 and its companion, House Bill 2—comes before the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday, local governments and their lobbyists will be out in force to testify against it. Many expect a repeat performance of what transpired in a packed Senate committee hearing earlier this month, with...
The reason for conducting a SWAT raid in the pre-dawn hours is the element of surprise. Most people are sleeping at this time and adjusting to such a situation from a sound sleep takes time — time during which a SWAT team can swiftly take control of a dangerous felon. It is particularly useful during...
Traffic enforcement is a hoax. There, I said it. Well, maybe it is not a hoax—we do actually do it after all—but it is not what it appears to be. It is a tax, more or less, without the political stigma such a term brings with it. It is time to change that. While Right on Crime does not often...
When a Michigan police officer arrested an 80-year-old woman for possession of marijuana with an expired medical exemption license, the backdrop was set for a debate. But are we framing this debate properly? Some will point out that the officer’s actions seemed excessive, almost punitive. Others will point to marijuana laws in general and question their...
There were some startling accusations about the Austin Police Academy in a recent article. The author points out that the allegations are unsubstantiated, and the article makes clear that the accusers failed to complete the program. A letter from an attorney representing the accusers is also linked in the article. Having served 21 years in...
If the shooting in Parkland, Florida was a call for us to consider the sometimes substandard selection and training of our police officers, then the dramatic end to a serial bomber’s reign of terror in Austin, Texas was the gold standard of what we are looking for in a police officer. The contrast between the responses...
The 24-hour news cycle provides no shortage of incidents that illustrate the need for police reforms to our current system, the most recent and tragic example being the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. After the shooting, shocking news broke that the school resource officer, who was armed, failed...
The modern flashpoint of police and community tensions might have been Ferguson, and a cluster of high profile incidents within a year that fanned the flames. Now over three years removed from the incident, time has softened some of the high emotion of the issues, and conservatives have the opportunity to lead the way...
The primary goal of conservative criminal justice reform is increased public safety with a secondary emphasis on fiscal savings. Where conservatives sometimes struggle with criminal justice reform is in the appearance of being soft on criminals or anti-law enforcement, and reform opponents seek to exploit this tendency. Despite assertions, conservative criminal justice reform does not make the...
Police officers deal with in-progress calls all the time, it is the job. It can be dangerous. But, what is the justification for a military-style assault on home in a residential community? Surely our officers are not so risk averse as to feel they need a SWAT team to handle this type of call.