Gov. Polis is contemplating clemency for a truck driver recently sentenced to life in prison for a crash that killed four motorists.

A sex offender is turned loose early from prison only to molest another child.

And, of 400 arrested during the 2020 Peaceful Protests™ in Denver, most cases were dismissed while just a few dozen served a limited time in jail.

Jesse Thomas was arrested May 29, 2020, while protesting for allegedly throwing a rock at a Denver Sheriff Department vehicle. Prosecutors with the Denver District Attorney’s Office charged him with misdemeanor criminal mischief but dropped the case in November, court records show.

 

Having the criminal case looming over his head stressed Thomas out, he said. He said prosecutors told him they were dropping the case for lack of evidence.

 

“It’s kind of just been a nuisance,” he said.

What we have here is a lot of crime and very little punishment — the fallout from the movement to defund police by progressive activists and the pursuit of restorative justice by their allies in the court system.

Meanwhile, an unknown assailant went on a shooting spree across metro Denver Monday killing four people and injuring several others including a police officer. 

Multiple businesses filled with people were put on lockdown until police finally cornered the suspect, who was shot and killed.

Progressive public officials have had nothing to say about the increase in crime across Colorado as their wayward policies falter.

It’s as if they had no idea that opening jail cells, reducing punishment, cracking down on gun ownership by responsible citizens, and defunding police would result in an increase in crime.

Being soft on crime doesn’t help anyone, except the criminals.

Colorado’s progressive Democrats need to grow a backbone and crack down on criminals, while reforming law enforcement rather than eliminating it.

Or else, as Michael Fields writes in an op/ed published in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel:

Colorado is at a crossroads. Crime is up, costs are up and there is uncertainty in our education system. How we respond to these challenges will have a long-term impact on the overall trajectory of our great state.

 

Unfortunately, liberal elected officials have pushed hard to the left since taking complete control of state government in 2018. Without any political balance, Colorado has been moving in the wrong direction.

 

Fortunately, conservatives are getting their act together — focusing on policies that will help provide more opportunity for more Coloradans.