Pubdate: Thu, 09 Aug 2001
Source: Frederick News Post (MD)
Copyright: 2001 Great Southern Printing and Manufacturing Company
Contact: 
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/contact/contactfinalnew.cfm?contact=letters
Website: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/814
Author: Michael Finkelman
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1342/a08.html

WHAT AUDACITY

I would like to take this opportunity to respond to the letter to the 
editor from Pat Skidmore of New Market ("Stop posing as prostitutes 
and drug dealers," July 25). I would like to know what type person 
has the audacity to criticize the police for doing their jobs.

First off I'd like to say that I am a police officer in Baltimore 
City, where crime, although generally down, remains a hot topic. In 
the city, prostitution breeds all sorts of ancillary crimes. Drugs 
are commonplace for most prostitutes and we see an inordinate amount 
of prostitutes overdose on drugs. Also, prostitutes (men and women) 
will frequently assault their customers in order to get more money to 
buy drugs. So now we have multiple other crimes. Then, prostitutes 
often times loiter in front of businesses hindering their ability to 
transact business. And in parts of Baltimore City, we see people stop 
their cars to talk to prostitutes, thus creating a traffic hazard.

Drug dealers create some of the same hazards. They are territorial 
and the resultant crime is fraught with victims. In housing areas 
drug dealers create an atmosphere of crime through intimidation. 
Notwithstanding big city examples, anywhere there is a demand for 
drugs there will be crime. So are prostitution and drug dealing 
scourges that should be addressed? Should we let anarchy rule? Of 
course not. Why would anyone advocate the issues that Pat Skidmore 
does?

Next, I want to know why we police officers lost her respect? For 
doing our jobs? For taking a low-paying job with extraordinary risk 
in order to try and maintain the quality of life in the community? We 
don't go out and recruit people to come out to sting operations; 
they're willing participants: They come to us. We don't see people 
who are law abiding stopping by to solicit a prostitute or buy drugs. 
These people are out being productive members of society as are we.

My last comment is that people like Pat Skidmore will belittle us, 
malign us and write to newspapers about us, yet as soon as someone is 
breaking into their home, or they're involved in an accident or a 
family member is missing, let me take a guess: "Frederick County 911, 
what is your emergency?"

Frederick County is quite privileged to have several quality law 
enforcement agencies within its borders, and I know that my 
colleagues do an excellent job in keeping drugs and prostitution in 
check. I just hope that people realize this and don't take the 
position of Pat Skidmore.

MICHAEL FINKELMAN
New Market
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