Topeka, Kansas — Kris Kobach today announced that 35 Kansas sheriffs endorse his campaign for Kansas Attorney General. Alongside Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill, Kobach laid out his plans to maintain and improve law and order in the state of Kansas.
“I know Kris Kobach and have seen his work over the past 20 years. He understands the problems we face in Kansas and is prepared to find creative ways to deal with them,” said Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, a Kobach endorser.
Kobach announced three initiatives he will tackle if elected Kansas Attorney General.
- Kobach will urge the Kansas Legislature to enhance sentencing for selling drugs that result in the death of a user.
- Kobach will coordinate across state lines and with federal law enforcement to reduce the supply of fentanyl and other deadly drugs in coming into Kansas; and
- Kobach will decrease organized retail crime by coordinating with law enforcement and prosecution across county and state lines to topple organized retail crime rings.
Reducing fentanyl deaths in Kansas will be a priority, Kobach said. Fentanyl overdose is the leading cause of death in this country for people between the ages of 18 and 45, and Kansas isn’t immune. Last year, Kansas marked the nation’s second largest percentage increase in drug overdose deaths.
“More than 500 Kansans have died from fentanyl overdoses since 2015.” Kobach said. “If elected, I will use the power of this office to fight this scourge that is killing Kansans.”
His plan includes two parts – disincentivizing the sale of fentanyl by adding sentence enhancements for those who sell drugs that kill another person – and reducing the supply of fentanyl within Kansas.
As attorney general, Kobach proposes coordinating with law enforcement agencies across the country to counter the cartels bringing the drugs into Kansas.
Kobach also announced a plan to coordinate with law enforcement and prosecutors across state and county lines to counter organized retail crime. He explained that organized crime rings target large box stores in different jurisdictions.
”By coordinating with law enforcement across county and state lines, we can trace the thefts to the top of the criminal enterprise and slow or even stop the criminal activity from the top down,” Kobach said.