Op-ed by Louis F. Quijas: When “Unacceptable” Isn’t Enough

This op-ed is written by Citizens Behind the Badge Law Enforcement Advisory Council member Louis F. Quijas

Two officers suffered stab wounds to the face before fatally shooting a man in Houston on Saturday. (Screenshot ABC13)

In just the past couple of weeks, America has witnessed a string of violent crimes that captured national attention — from the federal hate‑crime sentencing of a Washington man who stabbed a Black woman on a Metro bus, to a 30‑year sentence for a Memphis offender who carried out multiple armed robberies while firing his weapon. Over Memorial Day weekend alone, major cities saw a surge of multi‑victim shootings: four injured in Cincinnati, three killed in Dallas, and four more wounded in Philadelphia. These incidents, occurring across different states and circumstances, reinforce the urgent need for strong public‑safety leadership, tough criminal justice, and meaningful support for the officers and agencies confronting these threats every day.

Every time a violent incident captures national attention, the response from public officials follows a familiar script: “This is unacceptable. It will not be tolerated.” It’s the right sentiment — and an understandable one. But after the press conferences end and the headlines fade, hard questions linger. If this level of violence is truly unacceptable, why has there been so little change in our criminal justice system? And why is there such a disconnect between reports of declining crime and a continuing sense of unease among most Americans?

Let’s start with the criminal justice system — and its failures… Continue reading this Op-ed on LawOfficer.com HERE