Pubdate: Thu, 12 Aug 2004
Source: Sun Herald (MS)
Copyright: 2004, The Sun Herald
Contact:  http://www.sunherald.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/432
Author: B.L. McKenzie

CITIZENS AND COURTS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TOO

Perhaps a bad day prompted J.A. Parker to write the letter "And he
wonders why it's 'out of control'?" published on Aug. 4. Or possibly
Parker doesn't want to face the facts and try to understand what it
was Commander Louis Miller was saying in the July 16 article, "Meth
lab shut down."

Fact: The meth/drug problem is out of control.

Fact: There is no "quick fix" for the problem.

But Jackson County, Miss., is not alone; the drug problem is
widespread in our state, nation and world.

To say the drug problem is "out of control" is not a slap in the face
of law enforcement; they are more than well aware of the problem.

Helpless? No, they are not helpless. Law enforcement officers are
working hard every day in the "war against drugs." Maybe it's time
some of our good citizens start reporting the drug dealers instead of
complaining and hiding from them.

As for, "I guess the answer is to start locking them up," well, it
appears that was a direct message to our prosecutors and court system.
Think about it... Commander Miller and all law enforcement officers
can only arrest and charge drug suspects. It's the job of our
prosecutors and courts to "lock them up"!

J.A. Parker's letter was an insult to Commander Miller and all law
enforcement officers.

We are fortunate to have Commander Miller and others like him who are
not afraid to say what is fact and what needs to be done.

B.L. McKenzie

Ocean Springs
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin