Posted for Committee to Elect Shane Mattingly
Our families are our most precious asset. As your next State’s Attorney, it will be my primary focus to protect our families. I will do so by using a community based approach, listening to and reaching out to citizens affected by our very serious challenges.
These are policies I propose to address these challenges: Elder Abuse & Financial Fraud Unit; Domestic Violence Policy; Veterans Treatment Court.
This is my plan to stem our drug epidemic.
St. Mary’s County and the whole of Maryland are suffering from a widespread addiction to opiates. Across Maryland, heroin overdoses have increased by 88% over the past two years. This crisis cuts across every community and affects people of every background in St. Mary’s County.
Much of the crime in our community can be traced to opiate addiction: theft, burglary, altering prescriptions, misuse of credit cards, selling pills in a parking lot- the majority of these crimes have addiction at their root. Worse yet, people overdose on these drugs and too often our young people are dying.
Over the past year, I have traveled across St. Mary’s County and heard stories from heart-broken parents as well as inspirational examples of recovering addicts. I have met with counselors, law enforcement officers, treatment providers, government agencies, leaders in the business community, faith-based groups, civic organizations, teachers, and many concerned parents.
I am convinced that St. Mary’s County has the will and the resources to tackle this epidemic. But it is a problem without an easy solution.
As your next State’s Attorney, I pledge to vigorously prosecute any predatory dealers which are fueling this epidemic. But it is not a problem which can be solved solely by incarceration. Clearly, those in the throes of addiction need help so that they can once again becom e productive citizens, living a healthy life. Healthy communities are safer communities.
As your next State’s Attorney, I would pledge the following:
A. I will vigorously prosecute predatory drug dealers and pill mill operators who take advantage of the weak and addicted.
B. I will make it compulsory for drug offenders to get the treatment they need to help break the cycle of addiction.
C. I will cooperate and encourage all community-based efforts which emphasize education, treatment, and prevention.
As a community, St. Mary’s County has recognized just how serious an opiate epidemic we face. As your State’s Attorney, I will lend our efforts and our resources to prosecute dealers and encourage mandated trea tment for users/offenders.
What does all this have to do with the office of the State’s Attorney you may ask? Because the lives of our families and friends are at stake!
My goal as your next State’s Attorney is to make St. Mary’s County a safer and healthier place. By effectively dealing with opiod abuse and other addictions, we can lessen our crime rate. I promise to cooperate with all the partners in our community, public and private, to help reduce the suffering and misery that opiate addiction has caused. St. Mary’s County deserves a State’s Attorney who makes this a priority.
Together, through a coordinated and persistent effort, we can begin to stem the tide. As your State’ s Attorney, I will dedicate myself to working hard to ensure that our families are safe and healthy.
