by Val Sears
Fewer thugs breaking into cars and houses, fewer graffiti, a lot fewer hard drugs. The police are doing their best and quite successful according to an arrest list prepared by Inspector Gerry Salisbury earlier this year. And there have been police drives against car break ins and graffitti artists. But what Almonte really needs is more cops.
Two or three would probably be enough to make a serious dent in crime and establish a 24-hour police post to supplement the two patrolling constables that are the town's meagre defence at the moment. Even civilian monitors all day and night at an Almonte police headquarters would reassure panicky callers that someone was prepared to tackle their problem.
It would be somewhat expensive. Police constables do not come cheap. But we are hardly a poor community and could afford a few more dollars on our tax bills. We'd all sleep better at night.
So let's tell the mayor and counsel to review the need for a bigger police force right in our town and not simply at Perth or Carleton Place.
Studies have have shown that criminals are not deterred by the prospect of harsh punishment but by the certainty of arrest.
More cops would beef up the arrest rate in our rapidly growing town and perhaps send these vermin scampering back into their holes.