Attorney General Josh Stein Proposes Public Safety, Law Enforcement Package

RALEIGH – Attorney General Josh Stein today (May 1) proposed a comprehensive package to make North Carolina communities safer. The package includes measures to combat drugs, support law enforcement officers, protect kids, test sexual assault kits, improve public safety, and fight fraud. 

“Protecting the people of this state has to be job one,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I’m fighting to keep people safe from violent crime, drugs, and fraud, and I’ll always do everything in my power to hold criminals accountable.”

“North Carolinians want common-sense policies that will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people while respecting the rights of responsible gun owners,” said Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue. “People need to know that there are people in Raleigh who are listening, and fighting to put these protections into law.”

“One of our fundamental duties to North Carolinians is to ensure they are safe,” said House Minority Leader Robert Reives. “Our caucus has offered a number of bills that would do just that: Red Flag Laws that keep guns out of the hands of people who would harm themselves or others, raising the age to buy certain weapons to 21, and promoting school safety with more resources in classrooms. These are popular policies that deserve to become law. We will keep working to promote these ideas that are supported by a majority of North Carolinians.”

“Together, we can change the narrative,” said Ingram Bell, program manager for Gate City Coalition’s community violence prevention program. “Together, we can chisel away this epidemic one life at a time!”

“It is our responsibility that the people of North Carolina have the coverage they need and feel secure anywhere that they go,” said Rep. Carolyn Logan. “And that we have adequate law enforcement to protect them. That our law enforcement personnel are properly trained and equipped to do their job. So, our citizens can feel safe when they are approached by a member of the law enforcement community. It is our duty to make sure that people can feel safe in their beds at night, to walk and drive on the streets so that they are not confronted with street takeovers; that is why I introduced House Bill 429. This law was constructed and developed in partnership with local law enforcement to combat this crime.”

“The General Assembly must do everything it can to keep North Carolinians safe – from passing common sense gun safety reform to protecting our neighbors from fraud and identity theft,” said Sen. Jay Chaudhuri. “I am proud to partner with Attorney General Stein on this multi-pronged approach. North Carolinians deserve no less.”

Attorney General Stein’s proposals, which include strategies for combatting drugs, efforts to recruit and retain law enforcement officers, commonsense gun safety measures, and more are described here.

Attorney General Stein remains focused on public safety. Just last week he rolled out a plan to address law enforcement officer shortages impacting agencies across our state. More information about that is available here. And last month he opened new space at the State Crime Lab and reinforced his commitment to fighting the scourge of fentanyl. More information on that effort is available here.