WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, penned this op-ed in Newsweek explaining how soft-on-crime policies are driving gun violence in American cities. Kennedy argued that Americans would be safer if local officials supported the police and enforced the laws on the books, rather than passing new gun control measures that only restrict law-abiding citizens.

Key excerpts from Kennedy’s op-ed include:

“Opponents of the Second Amendment seem to have painted themselves into a corner. They want to reduce gun violence, but they think cops are worse than criminals. They want more gun laws, but they don’t want to punish people who break those laws.  Instead of reconciling those opposing views, anti-gun activists have taken to blaming conservative governors for the crime that happens in liberal cities.” 

. . .

“Either side of the gun debate can cherry-pick numbers that look best for their side. I’m confident that conservative leadership is more effective for one simple reason: Conservatives believe in enforcing the law. 

. . .

“Unless you peaked in high school, you understand that more cops will result in less crime. One study on policing found that each officer added to the police force resulted in four fewer violent crimes and 15 fewer property crimes. Another study found that a 10% increase in the police force resulted in a 13% drop in violent crime.”

. . .

“Guns aren’t the problem; criminals who use guns are the problem. Anti-gun activists need to own up to the fact that their policies have left many innocent families defenseless in high-crime areas by demonizing and demoralizing police forces throughout the country. If they want to address gun violence, supporting law enforcement is the first step.”

Read Kennedy’s full op-ed here.