North Carolina’s Republican candidate for governor, Mark Robinson, revealed his public safety plan if elected, focusing on supporting police, combatting violence and drug issues, and ensuring criminals remain in custody. At a news conference in Statesville, Robinson was joined by 30 sheriffs who stood in support of his proposal, expressing their commitment to law enforcement and maintaining order in the state.
Robinson’s plan aims to counter what he sees as efforts from the left to reduce police funding and eliminate cash bail for individuals charged with violent crimes. The lieutenant governor linked these initiatives to his Democratic opponent, Josh Stein, and vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris, accusing them of advocating for a pro-criminal, anti-law enforcement agenda.
Contrary to Robinson’s claims, Stein, the current attorney general, stated that he does not endorse defunding the police and has pushed for increased funding for law enforcement. Stein previously introduced legislative proposals to address police department and jail vacancies, including offering bonuses to graduates of law enforcement training programs and incentives to attract police from out-of-state or military backgrounds.
Additionally, Robinson’s plan includes prioritizing salary raises for law enforcement officers in the state budget and reinstating the death penalty for those convicted of killing police or corrections officers. Although the death penalty is still legal in North Carolina for first-degree murder convictions, executions have not been carried out since 2006 due to legal challenges regarding lethal injection drugs and medical professionals’ involvement in executions.
Robinson also aims to collaborate with the General Assembly to pass a law requiring law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and comply with requests to detain jail inmates suspected of being in the country unlawfully. Governor Roy Cooper vetoed similar measures in 2019 and 2022, with the House and Senate currently struggling to reach a consensus on the issue.
In response to Robinson’s assertions, Stein emphasized the importance of working with law enforcement to address community needs effectively and ensure public safety. While Robinson accuses his opponents of contributing to rising crime rates and drug problems, Stein criticized Robinson for promoting political violence with his past comments, which he believes undermine public safety efforts.