By Arthur Moore

This is the time to let the police come up with the ideas if any is needed to make changes in the way they do things. In this city we have been lucky on many ways to have mostly a good selection of officers. Granted the couple bad apples that were weeded out showed that the police for most matters can handle what is needed on any level.

I have seen first hand on several occasions where they were there to help and did so well. I have seen them help for suicide and people that were just sick. They stepped right up without hesitating to get the job done and get things moving.

Having the council members being part of this is just not the right thing to do as it is unlikely any one of them would have the slightest idea on how the police do their job on a moment by moment basis. The police have training and expertise. Let the experts handle it and then step in if need be. Just rushing a bunch of fast paperwork through is just not going to cut it. They have been top notch on social issues in their work. And also we have not had racial problems associated with out police department.

Granted we had one using the copying machine for his genitals. And an underage drinking party with a stabbing that is still not prosecuted. Or a cop on medical leave working in another city. But let’s take our time with this and let the police start the ball rolling as we here in Somerville are not having all these issues that we need to jump down their throats for. And keep the council out of it.

Last thing we want is to screw up the police department too.