“Defund the Police” has been the rally cry of many people in recent years. There has been the growing misconception that police are the problem instead of the criminals who are committing crimes and creating victims. Society would have you believe that the officers are the ones creating victims.
As the wife of a police officer (married 30 years, currently serving for 22 years), it is something that is a hard-hitting gut punch when people stand on street corners yelling to defund the police. I see my officer — and those around him — giving up everything to be out there protecting those who don’t realize they may need protection.
As a police family, we take the chant personally and see the damage to our departments and our communities when police funds are redistributed.
A close friend of mine, Lupe Encinas, is running for Glendale City Council for the Yucca District. Her opponent has sent out slanderous messages to voters saying that Encinas is a radical far-left Democrat who wants to defund the police. I can assure you that this is not the case.
Lupe Encinas regularly supports law enforcement. She is an ongoing corporate sponsor of the Arizona Troopers Association — since 2015; not a new addition to use as a campaign bullet point. It’s how she lives.
She has worked side-by-side with Glendale Police Department and their Community Action Teams serving food to the homeless at a local church. She is raising her sons to be good citizens, good businessmen and respectful of the law and law enforcement. She is absolutely not raising them to be victims and to disrespect authority.
As a police wife and an absolute supporter of all things law enforcement, I sit on Lupe’s campaign team. I can assure you, if there was any inkling of her being anti-police – I wouldn’t dare put my name on anything with hers on it. I have been a friend and a small business associate of hers for many years. I have witnessed nothing but the most ethical and moral treatment of her customers and employees, as well as authority in all manners.
When others are putting out ugly statements and misinformation, I would implore you to check the source, then check the facts. And this one is a flat out lie.
Natalie Stahl is the co-founder of the Arizona Law Enforcement Wives Network and owner of Virginia’s House in downtown Glendale..
