Violent crime seems to be skyrocketing and has been for over a year at this point. Things started getting dicey about the time folks started screaming to defund the police. The problem, of course, wasn’t that people were saying it, but that people in power were listening and even saying it themselves.

As a result, a combination of factors collided to create the perfect storm of suck we now find ourselves in.

Yay us.

However, a recent poll now suggests that the American people have come around to realize this is an idiotic idea.

A vast majority of voters say more police are needed on the street amid concerns over a rise in violent crime across the country, according to a new Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey.

Seventy-five percent of respondents said more police are needed on the street while only 25 percent say they do not need more cops on the beat.

Seventy-two percent of voters also said they oppose “defunding the police,” and a slim 52 percent majority said they support the controversial practice of stop and frisk in urban areas to “deter gun crime.” Fifty-six percent also say they oppose eliminating cash bail.

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“Crime is becoming the next crisis in America with overwhelming numbers seeing an increase in crime and Americans want stricter not looser enforcement of laws,” said Mark Penn, co-director of the Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey.

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The poll comes as concerns about violence make it a top issue heading into the 2022 midterms, with Republicans looking to seize on the issue to cast Democrats as soft on crime.

Of course, Democrats have recognized this and have tried to reframe things where they can claim Republicans have actually been in pushing to defunding police. I don’t think that’s actually worked, either.

The problem is that there are too many reports showing Democrats calling for defunding the police and other measures that now are getting blamed for the spike in homicides happening pretty much everywhere in the country. Even though most of these homicides are gang-related, they still make people nervous. After all, innocent people get caught in the crossfire all the time.

With all the reporting on the violence surge, it’s not really surprising that people are moving away from the leftist positions on things like defunding police and past bail reform efforts. We tried that and look what the hell happened?

However, the question is whether Republicans can capitalize on this in 2022.

Regardless, though, it’s clear that pro-Second Amendment folks need to step up and remind these folks that even with more police on the streets, they can’t be everywhere. If you’re concerned about violent crime, then it’s time to get yourself a gun, a carry permit (if required where you’re at), and some training on how to defend yourself.

Imagine if that 75 percent of people who said more police are needed also carried a firearm. I suspect that you’d see a drop in violent crime even with fewer officers on the streets.

Unfortunately, we’re not there yet, but at the rate people have been buying guns over the last year, we just might get there before long.