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Guest Columnist – Should Colorado’s Criminal Justice System Punish Cops or Criminals?

AMERICAN POLITICIAN| John Cooke served as sheriff of Weld County, Colorado. (Picture/News21)

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by our guest columnists do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of this publication.

By John Cooke

Former State Senator and former Weld County Sheriff

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Should the criminal justice system reward cops or criminals? That’s a major decision facing voters in Colorado’s 8^th Congressional District. Gabe Evans is a former cop who puts public safety first. The record of his opponent, Yadira Caraveo, directly correlates with – and caused – Colorado’s crime wave. Public safety, including the safety of my fellow police officers, is in jeopardy. And it’s not by accident. It’s not like a pandemic.

The crime wave didn’t just happen. Colorado’s federal and state elected leaders have embraced policies that put the interests of criminals ahead of cops and the public: decriminalizing fentanyl; open-border policies that have handed control of the southern border to the cartels who profit from the trafficking of humans and drugs; cashless bail policies that put dangerous criminals back on the streets; sanctuary state policies that forbid Colorado law enforcement officials from cooperating with ICE and Border Control. Lawlessness is the result.

Should Colorado’s Criminal Justice System Punish Cops or Criminals?

And Yadira Caraveo has been at the forefront of it all. While in the Colorado House of Representatives, Yadira Caraveo sponsored, co-sponsored, and supported many of these damaging bills: she legalized the distribution of drug paraphernalia with HB20-1065; she decriminalized fentanyl with HB19-1263; she tried to impose an even more extreme cashless bail policy with HB19-1226; she reduced the penalty for breaking into cars (a precursor crime to car theft) with SB21-271. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Needless to say, these policies are making our neighborhoods, particularly the most vulnerable, less safe. Just a few years ago, Colorado was one of the safer states across the nation. Today, we are the third most dangerous state in the nation. Colorado has led the nation in the rate of auto theft for two years running. Caraveo’s defund the police policies are hurting law enforcement. Officers are leaving our departments left and right. With her SB20-217, Caraveo imposed massive amounts of red tape and paperwork on officers while subjecting them to potential personal liability on the job.

Should Colorado’s Criminal Justice System Punish Cops or Criminals?

Gabe stepped down from his role in law enforcement because, like many of his fellow officers, he was so frustrated by “defund the police” policies he wanted to go to the State Capitol – and now Congress – to make a difference, to fix the ill-advised policies of Joe Biden, Yadira Caraveo, and others. Gabe has the unique experience and know-how to shake up Washington: former cop, a combat vet who served 12 years in the U.S. Army and Colorado Army National Guard as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot; family farmer; the grandson of immigrants to Mexico; and husband and father.

That’s why this November I’m voting for Gabe Evans to promote public safety and give proper support to those who put their lives on the line to protect us. With someone like Gabe Evans in office, you and I can both rest easy knowing Gabe will never stop fighting for our safety, individual rights, and well-being, which is why I ask you to join me in Fighting Back and vote for Gabe Evans this November.