Public Health & Safety
Every Arlington resident deserves to live, work, commute, and play without worrying about their safety. Accessible and well maintained roads, sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes, and public transit all must be designed and maintained with care for their safety. Our police, firefighters, and other emergency personnel work hard for our county, and they also deserve a supportive workplace with resources necessary to meet the community's expectations for unbiased and effective public safety services. Arlington has a severe police staffing and recruitment challenge, which we have to address by boosting retention efforts, attracting new talent, and listening to the needs of our current workforce. We also must continue training programs and promote oversight to ensure the use of law enforcement authority is not abused and serves the needs of our entire community. Furthermore, we must keep up efforts to reduce interpersonal violence, and rebuild trust with populations who under report crime due to fear of authorities and institutions.
Arlington also needs increased measures to protect public health. Most pressingly, in collaboration with the School Board, we need to take serious action to address our community’s youth mental health crisis. I have seen the toll of mental health struggles first hand in my family, and as a Veteran who suffers and continues to see a therapist. One life lost is one life too many. Even though 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with mental illness, we often unfairly rely on law enforcement resources to address individuals in a behavioral health crisis needing medical support. We also have a dire shortage of behavioral health professionals, especially for children. We must take collaborative approaches, invest in the proper levels of behavioral health crisis and stabilization capacity and substance use treatment, and look for innovative delivery methods that address mental health issues as early as possible.
To improve Arlington’s public safety and health, I commit to:
Investing in our public safety and behavioral health services workforce - From competitive wages and benefits, to recruitment, to building the pipeline, I am ready to work with employee organizations, unions, and employers to ensure adequate staffing for these critical roles.
Improving mental health services - I will increase investment in community mental health services in collaboration with local associations, schools, faith-based communities, healthcare organizations, and nonprofits. I am also committed to making it easier for people - including youth - to understand and access Arlington's mental health and substance abuse recovery services.
Enhancing pedestrian and bike safety - Arlington should be a safe and enjoyable community to move around in. I fully support policies that aim to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries, so I will uphold and provide long-term funding for Arlington’s Vision Zero strategy. Safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists must be a key consideration for new or renovated development and transit options.