The Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety (CLOS) is an organization that intends to make America safer and stronger by advocating for public policies that promote public order, ensure public safety, and uphold the Rule of Law. ¹ It opposes left-of-center criminal justice policies including de-policing, decarceration, and de-prosecution. ²

Activities

In April 2024, the Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety published a report titled “Assessing America’s Crime Crisis: Trends, Causes, and Consequences,” which cites four major causes for the public safety crisis in the United States: de-policing, decarceration, de-prosecution, and allegedly increased politicization of the criminal justice system. The report also claims that despite figures reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation showing lower offense levels since 2019, the level of violent and serious crimes continues to remain elevated. ³

The report claims that changes in public policy are the underlying cause of this shift in public safety. De-policing, decarceration, and de-prosecution are all directly related to changes in prosecutorial policies implemented by more left-wing district attorneys and activists endorsing defunding the police. De-policing, which has lowered overall police activity, has also occurred because of political pressure and police staffing shortages across the country. ⁴

The report finds that the dysfunctions with the U.S. criminal justice system compound the gap in reported crime data. With the public having less faith in the police, victims are less likely to report offenses, despite holding a belief that crime is rising. ⁵

Financials

The Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety is registered as a nonstock corporation with the State of Virginia. CLOS was formed in 2023, and while its Articles of Incorporation state its intention to be exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4), CLOS is not an IRS-registered nonprofit organization as of May 2024. ⁶

People

According to its website, Mark Morgan is the president of the Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety. Morgan formerly worked as acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and chief of the U.S. Border Patrol. Morgan is also a former assistant director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a former patrol officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. ⁷

Sean Kennedy is the executive director of the Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety and the policy director of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund. Kennedy is a visiting fellow with the Maryland Public Policy Institute and a former research director at the American Enterprise Institute. ⁸

According to the Annual Report that the Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety filed with the State of Virginia on April 12, 2024, the organization’s officers are Jody Weis, president; Rodney Scott, secretary; and Danielle Cutrona, treasurer. ⁹

Jody Weis is a former superintendent of the Chicago Police Department and a former special agent in charge with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Currently a private consultant based in Scottsdale, AZ, Weis also formerly worked as director of the North America Public Safety program at Accenture. ¹⁰

Rodney Scott is a former chief of the U.S. Border Patrol. He was removed from this position in 2021 by the Biden administration. ¹¹

Danielle Cutrona sits on the board of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund and is the director of global public policy at Burford Capital LLC. Cutrona formerly worked as a senior counselor to then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice. ¹²

1. “Home.” Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://www.coalitionforlaworderandsafety.com/.
2. “Assessing America’s Crime Crisis: Trends, Causes, and Consequences.” Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety, April 2024. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://drive.google.com/file/d/14sPhCoAo1vLawQXsMrUn0pA4TX3NwgGS/view.
3. “Assessing America’s Crime Crisis: Trends, Causes, and Consequences.” Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety, April 2024. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://drive.google.com/file/d/14sPhCoAo1vLawQXsMrUn0pA4TX3NwgGS/view.
4. “Assessing America’s Crime Crisis: Trends, Causes, and Consequences.” Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety, April 2024. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://drive.google.com/file/d/14sPhCoAo1vLawQXsMrUn0pA4TX3NwgGS/view.
5. “Assessing America’s Crime Crisis: Trends, Causes, and Consequences.” Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety, April 2024. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://drive.google.com/file/d/14sPhCoAo1vLawQXsMrUn0pA4TX3NwgGS/view.
6. “Entity Information: The Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety.” Virginia SCC. Accessed April 22, 2024. https://cis.scc.virginia.gov/EntitySearch/BusinessInformation?businessId=11518001&source=FromEntityResult&isSeries%20=%20false.
7. “Home.” Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://www.coalitionforlaworderandsafety.com/.
8.  “Home.” Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://www.coalitionforlaworderandsafety.com/.
9. “Annual Report: The Coalition for Law, Order, and Safety.” Virginia SCC. Accessed April 22, 2024. file:///Users/jencoluzziNEW/Downloads/AR19364875-20119643-FI.pdf.
10. “Jody Weis.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 22, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodyweis/.
11. ^[1] Miroff, Nick. “Biden administration removes Rodney Scott as head of U.S. Border Patrol.” The Washington Post, June 23, 2021. Accessed April 22, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/biden-administration-removes-rodney-scott-as-head-of-us-border-patrol/2021/06/23/c93411f6-d451-11eb-baed-4abcfa380a17_story.html.
12. “Danielle Cutrona.” Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund. Accessed April 22, 2024. https://www.policedefense.org/cutrona/.