Braun campaign releases public safety plan

INDIANAPOLIS — In the latest of his campaign’s series of plans, U.S. Senator Mike Braun, R-Ind., Indiana’s Republican gubernatorial candidate, has released his public safety plan, aimed at keeping Hoosiers safe.

In November’s general election, Braun will face Jennifer McCormick, the state’s former superintendent of public instruction and the Democratic candidate for governor, and Donald Rainwater, the state’s Libertarian candidate for governor.

As part of Braun’s “freedom and opportunity agenda,” his campaign has released plans for various topics, including fighting inflation , healthcare and education .

“Every Hoosier deserves to feel safe in their community,” Braun said in a news release that unveiled his public safety plan, “and to achieve that we need to support our police with the training and resources they need, confront the drug crisis head-on, enforce the law so criminals don’t end up back on the street due to prosecutors refusing to do their jobs, tackle illegal immigration bringing fentanyl and crime to our streets like the attack we saw on a young girl in northwest Indiana and take action to give our schools what they need to keep kids safe.”

Braun’s plan covers six different areas of public safety that he states he would focus on if he is elected in November, including:

• Confronting the drug crisis
  • Braun’s campaign said that the state should develop a “comprehensive strategy” to confront the drug crisis, including strengthening the legal penalties for distributing drugs, cracking down on drug trafficking and investing in programs for drug prevention and recovery.
• Enforcing laws
  • The campaign said that the state should strengthen its “posture” against violent crime, which Braun states includes providing stronger penalties for violent crime, establishing non-discretionary minimum bail requirements and have consistent state-funded prosecutors.
• Tackling illegal immigration
  • A hot topic during this particular campaign season, Braun’s campaign states that they will end sanctuary cities, which they say “threaten(s) the safety of Hoosiers.” The campaign also said it would “streamline collaboration between state and local law enforcement” to “effectively combat the criminal elements tied to illegal immigration.”
  • As for working with the federal government, Braun’s campaign said it would work with them “hand-in-hand” to assist in federal enforcement efforts should the government “adopt a stronger posture with respect to enforcing illegal immigration.”
• Supporting law enforcement
  • Braun’s campaign said that it would enhance salaries and benefits for the state’s law enforcement officers, offering compensation that aligns state troopers and local officers with competitive standards. Braun also said he would elevate officer training and protect qualified immunity, another topic that was mentioned frequently during the primary election season.
• Treating mental health with “seriousness”
  • The campaign said it would “significantly invest” in local mental health treatment facilities, as well as hybrid telemedicine to “expand the reach of mental health specialists and provide tailored care to more Hoosiers.”
• Prioritizing school safety
  • Braun’s campaign said it would establish the Indiana Office of School Safety, something that the campaign spoke about through its education plan. The campaign also said it would increase the funding available to the Secured School Safety Grant program and help implement age-appropriate cyber safety training for students.

Early voting started on Tuesday in Indianapolis. Click here to see where individuals are able to participate in early voting in the Indianapolis area.

Jennifer McCormick’s campaign responded to Braun’s plan with the following statement:

Mike Braun’s public safety plan is the latest set of bullet points from his secretive group that brought Indiana RFRA and an extreme abortion ban. He continues to fail to address the real needs of Hoosiers. He has consistently opposed common sense reforms, stood in the way of a bipartisan immigration bill at the federal level, and neglected funding for community-based crime prevention programs. Time and time again, Mike Braun has shown he’s more interested in advancing his extremist political career than protecting Indiana families. Hoosiers deserve real solutions, not Braun’s self-serving agenda

Mila Myles, campaign spokeswoman for Jennifer McCormick

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WANE 15.