President Joe Biden's decision Thursday on a local crime law sends a national message to fellow Democrats about how he thinks they should address Republican criticism of the nation's rising crime rates.

Democrats have focused predominantly on police reform since the George Floyd protests reignited a national debate over race and law enforcement three years ago. But rising rates of violent crime and growing perceptions of unease in major cities have prompted a chorus of Democratic strategists and officials to call for a tougher approach to counter Republican attacks.