Silver State Times

With recent reports highlighting the rise in crime, Democratic Sen. Cortez Masto’s opponent is raising questions regarding her crime policies.

The murder rate jumped significantly in 2021, according to FBI data. Fox News reported that there was an increase of 4.3% with 20,900 murders while overall violent crime dipped by 1% from 2020 to 2021.

"We’re seeing a disturbing violent crime surge across the country. I know you’re seeing it too," said Paul Abbate, deputy director of the FBI.

According to Adam Laxalt, Masto's opponent: “We need leaders who will stand up and fight for the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect us. In her six years in office, Cortez Masto has sided with the Democrat party over Nevada’s law enforcement community. She has voted to confirm anti-police radicals, she has encouraged rioting in our cities led by the far-left, and she has called police officers racist.”

Laxalt concluded his piece by stating he will support law enforcement while pointing out that the Fraternal Order of Police, the Public Safety Alliance of Nevada and 95% of the state’s law enforcement officers oppose her reelection campaign.

According to Cortez Masto’s campaign website, she has been supportive of law enforcement in her “fight to combat sex trafficking” and securing funding to train police departments. She sponsored legislation “making sure law enforcement has the necessary resources to fight sex trafficking and is leading a bill to ensure sexual assault survivors receive the help they deserve.” Cortez Masto has even spearheaded a law for the mental wellbeing of police officers.

Cortez Masto’s office did not respond for a request for comment on crime when asked by the Silver State Times.

Crime policies could be a critical issue for voters going to ballot box this November. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that many urban departments are finding it difficult to staff their forces amidst calls for police reforms.

Philadelphia police spokesperson Eric Gripp told the Associated Press, “This isn’t just an issue in Philadelphia. Departments all over are down and recruitment has been difficult.”

The WSJ cites criminologists and law enforcement officers who claim the spike in violent crime is from “stress from the pandemic, police pullbacks after racial-justice protests and a proliferation of guns.” Police officers are quitting at record numbers which has lengthened the 911 call response to 2.5 hours.

In 2019, in Nevada, the FBI Crime Data Explorer lists 309 violent crime incidents and 326 offenses reported by 3 Nevada law enforcement agencies. In 2021, the number increased to 11,872 violent crime incidents and 13,369 offenses reported by 56 Nevada law enforcement agencies.

According to Macrotrends, the crime rate nationwide in 2020 was 6.52, a 28.64% increase from the year before.