We all want to feel safe and secure, whether it’s in our own neighborhood, going shopping or eating out in a restaurant. There’s a level of trust that the public has toward government to provide adequate law and order.

In recent years, that trust is quickly eroding. Movements to defund the police and lax prosecutorial decisions (low bail, dropped charges, etc.) by many major metropolitan district attorneys and judges are only hurting the very people who need it most, mostly minorities.

Smash-and-grab robberies, which began in California, are now sprouting across other cities. Thieves are now ditching the retailer and going straight to the deliverer. Union Pacific trains are being robbed of their packages by these same gangs.

Cops, who are supposed to be protectors of the public, are themselves being victimized by these wanton acts of violence. This year alone, five police officers have been shot and killed in the line of duty so far, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website.

Almost four years ago, a tragedy in Maine could have been prevented. Sheriff’s deputy Eugene Cole was shot and killed by John D. Williams. Williams had posted bail days earlier in Massachusetts after his bail was lowered twice for multiple offenses.

Law and order are key components in a civilized society. It never seems a serious concern to those who live in gated communities protected by security. But the effects are real, and they are dangerous to a society lacking trust.

Kevin Landry
Lewiston

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