Crime has increased sharply since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And along the way, it has disproportionately harmed minority communities and driven businesses from crime-ridden cities, taking away not only jobs but also places to purchase food and medication.

The result is a downward spiral that unfortunately seems to have no end in sight.

Every public official is responsible for safeguarding the well-being of every American, ensuring each individual an equal opportunity to succeed. Instead of fulfilling this duty, many politicians choose to sit on the sidelines or make the problem even worse.

This was evident when local officials in Washington D.C. voted to overhaul the city’s criminal code to loosen penalties for violent crime. Their vote would reduce maximum sentences, eliminate nearly all mandatory minimum sentences, and expand the right to jury trials for those accused of misdemeanors. But these measures do nothing to protect the vulnerable residents of the District who simply want to live in peace and safety.

Rogue district attorneys prioritize their ideology over the safety of their residents. Such is the case of D.C.’s U.S. attorney, who declined to prosecute nearly 70 percent of people arrested in 2022.

Every criminal let out to menace people on the street only creates more for everyone to worry about. Every store that closes leaves fewer options for people to work or just to live life. Without safe communities, there can be no opportunity.

Every day, violent assaults, carjackings, robberies and homicides are depriving Americans of the opportunity to reach their goals and live their dreams. That’s exactly what is at stake — the opportunity to earn a living, find success and enjoy life.

But it’s a greater tragedy that America’s minority communities, many of whom already face significant barriers to financial success, suffer the most from out-of-control crime. African Americans, for example, make up a mere 14.2 percent of the total population. Yet according to FBI data, they accounted for 58 percent of homicide victims in 2021 — up from less than 50 percent in 2011. Blacks also comprise nearly one third of victims of all violent crimes. 

Every city is being affected by the current crime wave, including average-sized cities such as Albuquerque, NM, where the murder rate spiked by 71 percent between 2017 and 2022. The city’s murder rate is now more than three times the national average, higher than that of New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. 

We can reverse this trend. We need only demand from the local officials that they fully fund law enforcement, so that the police can combat crime on the streets while strengthening penalties against violent and repeat offenders. Unless we take action, every city throughout the country will soon follow Albuquerque’s lead and find itself engulfed in crime and violence. 

Americans deserve a society in which every person — regardless of race, gender, age, or ethnicity — has an equal opportunity to safely pursue the American Dream. It’s crucial that local officials work together to mitigate public safety concerns in their hometowns and unleash the potential of future generations in the land of the free.

And all citizens have a vested interest in making sure mayors, district attorneys, and law enforcement officers follow through on their obligation to keep us safe. 

Gabriel Nadales is national director of Our America.