Fixing the hidden clogs in our justice

When we talk about public safety in Washington, the conversation rightly begins with the men and women in blue. The crisis in recruitment and retention of law-enforcement officers remains a paramount concern; we cannot have safety without a proactive presence on our streets.

However, a mission isn’t completed just because the first phase is successful. If an officer makes an arrest but the case languishes in a broken system, we haven’t achieved justice—we’ve only created paperwork.

Public safety is a chain, and right now, several links are under immense strain. We have a systemic bottleneck cr...