U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville said one of the first things he would do if elected governor is “clean up our cities,” as “we’re having people shot every day” and that “people are afraid to go out on the streets.” The Republican candidate for Alabama governor made the comments Wednesday during a speech to the Rotary Club of Birmingham.
Tuberville said Americans are losing the ability to engage in activities outside the home, from shopping to parents playing with their children. He called for more law enforcement, but added some judges are not holding those arrested accountable and would “slap them on the hand.”
He mentioned former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and alluded to the broken window theory in approaching crime. That practice consists of targeting minor crimes in an effort to foster a climate that reduces more serious crimes. Giuliani promoted such tactics while in the mayor’s office through the 1990s. Critics say studies have found little evidence the strategy is effective and argue it has led to over-policing, particularly of minorities…