But what the program has not done is to address the serious and growing
issue of property crimes in The Valley. Home and business break-ins are
steadily increasing. Not a week goes by without news of a robbery at a
home or local business.
The Warren Store and Bradley House have been burgled repeatedly this
fall. Small Dog Electronics was burgled last week. Center and North
Fayston Road residents report robberies along with residents in
Moretown, Warren and Waitsfield.
Local residents have created Neighborhood Watch groups and that may
help, as will better alarm systems, video surveillance cameras and more
locking of doors. But those things may not be enough to stem the tide
of thievery.
The current law enforcement program offsets its own costs by generating
ticket revenue and hence is relatively inexpensive. While the cost is
important, the efficacy of the program is just as important. And so is
people's sense of being safe in their homes and businesses.
This is not a new issue. It is not something that we have not seen
coming over the past five years. It is worsening and it needs to be
addressed whether we address it through educating people and business
owners about stronger security measures or whether we address it as a
matter of law enforcement.
It may be time for Valley residents to rethink the goal of community
policing and to rethink how our resources are being spent. When the
traffic patrol program was created there was a huge need to control
speeders and get drunk drivers off the road. While we still need speed
control and DUI enforcement, we also need people and property to be
safe in homes and businesses.
{loadnavigation}
