(Editor’s Note: The following article was submitted by the MB House GOP).

House Republican Public Safety Lead Rep. Brian Johnson, R-Cambridge, and Rep. Paul Novotny, R-Elk River, issued statements this week responding to a poll released by the Center of the American Experiment that revealed fifty-five percent of respondents do not approve of Gov. Walz’s response to last year’s riots and 81% of Minnesotans are personally concerned about the rising level of crime in Minnesota.

“Gov. Walz’s mishandling of recent riots and spikes in violent crime in the Twin Cities have left Minnesotans concerned for the safety of family and loved ones,” said Rep. Novotny. “Because of poor decisions and inaction, Gov. Walz and city leaders have fostered a culture in the city that has resulted in widespread lawlessness. I hope that Gov. Walz and city leaders will step up and show some leadership to address this crisis as soon as possible.

The poll also found that eighty-five percent of respondents trust the police in their local community to act in the best interests of the public. When given a list of options, 69% of respondents said they trust law enforcement to keep them safe, compared to 50% for Gov. Walz, 36% for the legislature and 32% for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

“Minnesotans know that law enforcement are the ones who face danger head-on to keep us safe, not politicians,” said Rep. Johnson. “It is long past time to drop the push for policies that make it harder for officers to address crime. Anti-police sentiment already makes it difficult to recruit enough officers, and Democrat proposals would only worsen the problem.”