Crime has become a top issue for many lately. I had actually started writing an article three years ago on why we need to fund the police and revisited it after the issue impacted me personally. In a single month, I've had two home invasions. They were not opportunistic break-ins but organized by crime rings.

Feeling safe in your home is a fundamental right and, if it's not, then it should be. This article isn't just about my story: After speaking with many of my friends across the U.S. and in Canada, this is about many people's stories.

Many are quick to blame illegal immigrants and criminal tourists for causing an increase in crime, but locals are also exacerbating these problems. In my experience, the police want to help, but their effectiveness has been severely impacted in the last 15 years.

Though the news may have us believe otherwise, it's not that crime rates are worse overall. In fact, the latest data indicates that murder and other violent crime rates have gone down nationally. It's theft and robberies that have gone up.

While funding of police may seem like a political issue during an election year, safety and accountability shouldn't be political at all. Rather, sufficient public safety should be a human right for all people, regardless of geography, income level, race, or other factors.

What I have learned in this process is the district attorney in your community enforces the laws and enables the police to keep your neighborhood safe. That is why it is important to cast your vote and make your voice heard. Your........

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