During his time in the legislature, Delegate Cole has supported criminal justice reform measures to foster trust between local law enforcement and their communities. He has advocated for returning to community policing, a strategy of policing that focuses on developing relationships with community members. Delegate Cole also believes reinvesting funds and resources into our community will help keep everyone safe. That’s why he has voted to increase police pay and to restore funding for regional police academies, so that our officers are better trained to protect everyone in our community.
Delegate Cole supports criminal justice policies that protect citizens of the Commonwealth from injustice. A part of rebuilding our communities includes creating sensible drug policies, which is why Delegate Cole supports rehabilitation in place of incarceration, ending private prisons in Virginia and decriminalizing possession of marijuana. Delegate Cole also believes that voting is at the heart of our democracy and understands how important it is to restore voting rights for felons who have served their time.