#JusticeinPimaCounty: Week 92
This week saw more sadness, this time at the University campus.
My heart mourns for the community, and my heart swells for our Victim Services Division who rushed highly skilled advocates to both the hospital and campus for hours of trauma care. Once again, our Office does its vital work, after harm has occurred.
So, we pause and reflect on prevention. There is space for our office to use our place and our voice to advocate prevention.
Last month we saw this administration’s first successful legislative effort become new law, as emergency orders of protection (restraining orders) went from 24 hours to seven days, and regular orders of protection go from 1 year to 2 years.
Today, I gathered the Initial Appearance team to talk about the difference between a criminal complaint about the theft of diapers at a Walgreens and a criminal complaint of someone lunging at Walgreens staff with a weapon while attempting to steal.
This weekend, PCAO staff and our partners at 88-CRIME are at Tucson Meet Yourself, where about 100,000 people are expected, handing out free gunlocks among other items as well as information about crime prevention. By 1 p.m. Friday, more than 600 gunlocks were handed out. That is prevention, plain and simple.
And in January, rest assured, as soon as legislators are seated or re-seated, I will be pushing very, very hard to re- up Arizona’s effort to join many states in the nation for a red flag law that allows a court hearing (notice, due process, the right to respond,) when family, neighbors, or colleagues believe it is a danger for a certain person to possess firearms. I am tired of senseless gun violence, and I know you are too.
To be continued…
Laura
