Opinion: Being tough on crime will deter criminal activity on Guam

By Douglas B. Moylan

The most effective way to curb crimes on Guam is to replace the current “soft on crime” AG with the “Toughest AG on Crime.” This AG’s policies the past 4 years created our crime wave & crime victims. The AG is Guam’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer. All other local law enforcement officers follow the AG. The AG sets the priorities, tenor and momentum of the criminal justice system. Which cases get prosecuted, what types of legal arguments the Judges and juries hear, and whether the AG seeks jail time against criminals either makes us safe or makes us a crime victim.

Being tough on crime creates the climate needed to deter criminals. This AG publicly promotes and endorses “rehabilitation,” especially for meth addicts. I do not. Tough on crime requires “punishment” for criminals and “protection” for crime victims, which results in “deterrence” against future crimes. If any rehabilitation occurs, it should be in prison. A “Tough on Crime” AG protects crime victims and deters future crimes.

Working with GPD & Customs to create effective deterrence and detection methods reduces costly & time-consuming prosecutions. Getting many more officers “walking the beat” and creating first-name connections in our villages, schools, community centers and stores creates “civilian crime fighters”; putting many more officers on motorcycles; linking “neighborhood watch” chats with village precincts for quick response by motorcycle officers; rolling windows down on police cruisers; patrolling areas late at night and early morning that police reports show high burglaries; breaking up drinking on govt. property (bus stops, sports fields); more drug dogs; camera network at key locations like in N.Y.; vigorous inspection of local boats for drugs are just a few of many deterrents a “Tough on Crime” AG creates. Moreover, promoting a “tough on criminals” policy will restore the more than 1⁄2 of the 21 prosecutors who quit this AG because of his soft on crime policies.

Most importantly, we all must feel our AG instills fear into criminals. Recovery from the last 4 years of “soft on crime” legal policies is achievable by replacing this AG with a “Tough on Crime” AG. Voters stand for protecting we law-abiding citizens, not for helping criminals.

Douglas B. Moylan is the first elected attorney general of Guam and currently an AG candidate. He is a resident of Dededo.