Feelings are important, but feelings don’t necessarily line up with facts. Would you rather feel safe or be safe? I know most of us would say that we want both. But between the two, being safe beats feeling safe every time.
Twenty-three-year-old Iryna Zarutska had lived in war-torn Ukraine and fled to America for safety. She didn’t feel safe living in a country invaded by a foreign army whose president is bent on taking over the country. She felt safe in America. The fact is, she wasn’t safe. In late August, Iryna got off work and boarded a commuter train in Charlotte, NC. She took a seat in front of Decarlos Brown, Jr., a career criminal who had been arrested at least 14 times. Moments later, Brown pulled out a knife and brutally stabbed Iryna to death. When the story hit the national news in early September, it sent shock waves across the country. The President even commented on the horrific murder.
Video footage just prior to the attack shows six passengers, including Iryna, all on their phones.[1] All felt safe and had no idea what was about to happen. A few weeks prior to the murder, President Trump ordered the National Guard and federal law enforcement officers (LEOs) to deploy in Washington, D.C. It’s no secret how bad crime was in our nation’s capital. After the deployment, crime immediately dropped in D.C. and many who live there attested to the positive effect the federal presence had on stopping crime and making the streets safer.[2] On September 2, the US military shot and killed 11 alleged Tren da Aragua members that where were on a boat from Venezuela in international waters. The official position is that the government had confirmed the boat was full of drugs heading for the US.[3] Other boats have since been destroyed.
The deployment of federal troops in cities to help local law enforcement fight crime is not new, but it remains controversial as does targeting civilian vessels on the open sea. There’s no doubt these tactics work to stop and deter crime. But they fail to get at the root of the problem. When the troops are gone from the streets and another president is in office, who isn’t willing to take such aggressive measures to stop drugs from entering the country, what then?
The deployment of troops to D.C., the murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, and blowing up a drug boat on the ocean has brought the crime and safety issues back to the forefront. But without getting at the root cause, we won’t stop the trend. The root cause comes from the heart of humanity. Two thousand years ago, Jesus said, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”[4] This was clearly attested to in the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Will armed federal troops walking through our streets lower the crime rate? Yes. But remember what Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”[5]
So, what’s the answer? The answer is to address the issue. It’s a heart issue. We need to return to a nation who recognizes, teaches, and observes the moral code given us by God. This was Mr. Kirk’s mission. Let’s keep it going.
Bringing Hope to Law Enforcement
The Strong Blue Line Foundation—at no cost to officers or their agencies—brings hope to LEOs with training seminars that help them navigate a myriad of issues they deal with. One way we do this is by training chaplains. In the “Winning a Gunfight” seminar and book, officers learn how to win a gunfight tactically, mentally, and ethically—or body, soul, and spirit. As important as it is to survive a gunfight, winning is much more important. Winning means you come out of a gunfight as a victor. Winning is having a holistic victory. It goes beyond a tactical victory. It also means being victorious mentally and ethically. It’s complete victory—body, soul, and spirit. Please partner with us to make strong officers with strong relationships by giving them real hope for complete victory! To help, click on the “Donate” button.
On the Road
Sherry and I just returned from a road trip that took us to Louisiana and Colorado for “Winning a Gunfight” seminars and a speaking engagement in Arkansas. This month I am making a quick trip to Washington for a chaplain training seminar; I’ll be both a learner and instructor.
Pray for your police.
[1] (https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-stabbing-ukrainian-refugee-iryna-zarutska-cc9ec826660468830b3f18a71e1a9aaf)
[2] (https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/local-news/washington-dc/violent-crime-down-45-in-dc-during-federal-law-enforcement-surge-local-leaders-say/)
[3] (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/09/02/us-military-caribbean-sea-strike-drug-boat/85945169007/)
[4] (Mark 7:21-23, ESV)
[5] (https://quotesfromthepast.com/benjamin-franklin-on-sacrificing-freedom-for-security/)
