The Foley and Malloy Prospectus Compared Part 6– Public Safety and Security

This is the sixth in a series of blog posting regarding the plans of the Republican and Democratic candidates for governor, Tom Foley and Dan Malloy. All of the information provided in the posting is from the candidate’s web sites, http://www.danmalloy.com/policy and http://www.tomfoley2010.com clicking on the “Issues” and “Tom’s Plan” selections. The opinions are my own and not cleared with either candidate’s staff. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a supporter of Dan Malloy and worked as a volunteer on his 2006 campaign as well as the current 2010 campaign.

I will begin with some general observations about the plans that the candidates have posted on their web sites. If less is more, then Foley wins hands down. His plan turns out to be seven pages in my word document. The Malloy plan is a whopping forty eight pages with great detail. I guess that is fitting since most Republicans believe less government is better, obviously a short plan will lead to less government. From the Democratic perspective, government is good and Malloy shows just how he plans to shape and change much of the state government in great detail.

Of course, there is no guarantee that either of the candidate’s will do what they lay out on their web site when actually in office, but like a stock prospectus, it is an indication of the plan and direction each candidate will pursue once in office.

I am leaving out much of the explanatory text in the plans and just noting the planned action items. Both plans are written in the first person, so I will keep that same format as I quote or paraphrase from each plan. The reader will have to remember that the occasional “I” is either “Governor” Foley or “Governor” Malloy.

This comparison continues with the prospective governors’ take on public safety and security. Since I started with “Governor” Foley in the last post, I will start with “Governor” Malloy in this post. I will continue this alternate presenting throughout this series of postings.


“Governor” Dan Malloy
Job One" for our next Governor is creating jobs and we can't do so without safe and secure communities to attract employers and their workers. As Governor, I will enhance public safety by investing in the following priorities:
1. Putting More Cops on the Streets
We must re-invest in the State's commitment to community policing and ensure that Connecticut meets and exceeds statutorily required State Police staffing levels.
2. Removing Illegal Guns
I will work collaboratively with local leaders and police forces to develop creative solutions for reducing illegal gun activity and the threat it poses. I will also seek to enhance the state's gun trafficking task force and partner with the federal government to trace guns seized in a crime.

3. Focusing on Prevention
I believe that we can do more to intervene in the unfortunate pipeline some young adults follow from school to prison. As Governor, I will consider strategies such as Community Policing Forums and the highly successful Juvenile Review Boards, which are partnerships among local police, schools, and social service specialists to help divert first-time youthful offenders from the criminal justice system.
As Governor, I will be guided by the traditional model of justice - if you commit a crime, you pay the penalty. But, I will also be guided by the principle that those who served their time are entitled to a second chance. For the non-violent offenders who have successfully paid their debt to society, my administration will expand programs that can integrate non-violent offenders back into their communities by providing job experiences, expanded services, and pro-active career training - all at a significant savings to the State.

“Governor” Tom Foley
Keeping our citizens safe is the first duty of government. We must be sure our law enforcement agencies remain vigilant and communicate with neighboring states and Federal law enforcement agencies about potential terrorist threats to ensure Connecticut citizens are safe.
As Governor, I will ensure that we coordinate closely with neighboring states and federal security agencies to guarantee our citizens are safe.


Comment
In the backup to his plan, Malloy points out his efforts that made Stamford one of the ten safest cities in the nation and explains how that will translate to action at the state level. Again, his experience as a prosecutor in New York and a mayor in Stamford define his approach at the state level. Foley only addresses communication with neighbors and the Federal Government to “guarantee” citizen safety.