Why We’re Concerned

“As current and former public safety officials – including law enforcement, prosecutors, and corrections officials – we are increasingly concerned about the fairness and efficacy of the death penalty in our country. We agree that our death penalty system is ineffective, expensive, and makes mistakes. We have come together to elevate the voices of public safety officials in the discussion about this punishment.

Some of us may support the death penalty, some of us may oppose it. But we all believe that it directs needed resources away from policing and community safety, that it is used disparately and often on vulnerable populations, and that it can make mistakes that are irrevocable. And while we have varying views on the death penalty, each of us is ready to explore alternative ways to achieve a more just and effective public safety system.”

– Statement of PSODP members

Voices

“My feelings toward capital punishment have changed substantially over the 30+ years since I began my career in law enforcement. As a young police officer, I was quite comfortable with the death penalty for those who committed the most heinous of acts against our fellow citizens. However, after a career in the criminal justice system, I have become skeptical as to both its effectiveness as a deterrent as well its uneven application across the country. My concerns are centered less around the moral issue of capital punishment, rather they are focused on the many practical failings of our existing system. I think it is time to step back and re-evaluate how we as a society punish our worst offenders.” – Chris Moore (Chief, San Jose Police Department, 2010-2013)

“People sometimes ask me how I feel personally about the death penalty. Having had the experience of prosecuting over a dozen capital cases, I favor abolishing it. While I think that those who commit aggravated murders should never be allowed the opportunity to victimize society again, I find more negatives than positives in the capital punishment system. And I don’t think it makes us safer as a society… [read more]” – Creighton Horton (Assistant Attorney General, State of Utah, including Chief of Criminal Justice Division, 1987-2009); Deputy Salt Lake County District Attorney, 1978-1987), A Reluctant Prosecutor: My Journey.

“Some might be surprised to learn a veteran police officer supports repealing the death penalty; but my professional experience has shown me that our state’s death penalty doesn’t keep us any safer. Its exorbitant cost actually detracts from programs that would promote the overall health, safety and welfare of our communities.” – Jim Davidsaver (Emergency Management Director, Lancaster County, Nebraska; former captain, Lincoln (NE) Police Department), “Local View: Repealing Death Penalty Would Make Us ‘Smart On Crime’” Journal Star, November 23, 2014.

“It turned out that what sounded good in theory was actually a complete failure in practice. And I am convinced that there is simply no way to fix it.” – James Abbott (Chief, West Orange NJ Police Department, 1997-Present), Testimony before the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment, May 22, 2008.

“Early in my law enforcement career, I believed that the death penalty was just and appropriate in some cases. However, in the 1990s when a couple of law enforcement friends of mine attended the execution of a convicted murderer and they told me how traumatic it was for them as well as for the families, I began to think about it differently. I learned that an execution did not bring the anticipated closure for anyone; the victims’ families, the police officers involved, or for society.” – Laurie Woods (Special Agent in Charge, California Department of Justice, 1974-1995)

“Any law enforcement officer can tell you that it takes many resources to keep a community safe. I was a law enforcement officer for over 30 years, 17 of them as a police chief. We needed good community partnerships; good processes to collect, store and share police activities and crime data; good equipment to protect and assist officers as they performed their duties; and much more. One tool virtually never seen on that list is the death penalty.” – Gerald Galloway (Chief, Southern Pines NC Police Department, 1988-2005; Past President, North Carolina Chiefs of Police Association; former Executive Committee member, IACP), “Resources Wasted on NC Death Penalty,” The News and Observer, June 29, 2015.

Affiliations listed for identification purposes only