@Robert.....the $11mm used to be more and that was what Lacey got for building a Nuclear Plant here....not sure why this is all of a sudden an issue. As to the police, the officers being hired, but the new Chief's Captain's position is not being filled, so 2 or three of those hires will be covered by the Captain's salary not being used and the new officers will fall under the new negotiated contract, with higher kick ins for health etc (but still nowhere near what it should be). It still will cost a bit more money but I think that is you are honest here, you see all the burglaries and the drug issues we have, I'm certainly for adding a few more officers. I think we could save a bit more money by stopping the payment of officers to get their uniforms cleaned etc.

1) What is the basis for your conclusion that coverage is sufficient? that you pass 1 or 2 cruisers each morning to work here in town? Do you understand how a PD works? Do you realize how large Lacey is? do you have public safety experience? Do you know how police patrols are organized? these are just some of the many more questions I have for you. Let's start there AFTER you inquire and get the info before you state that there APPEARS to be enough coverage. 2) The TC does promote citizens to be involved and vigilant and the PD has programs and a website set up for citizens to report any suspicious activity, in addition to being able to pick up a phone. Citizens to carry arms to do what, police work? REALLY??? No drug activity should be illegal??? Leave the users alone? What planet do you live on????? Thanks for at least putting your ideas out there, totally wrong and misguided as they are. Holy Cow...

Robert, thank you again for sharing your point of view. It perfectly fills the void in my afternoon schedule, right between Jerry Springer and Snookie and JWOWW! Now excuse me while I get back to the real world...

I know it is really tough to break out of the mold and shed the idea that someone else needs to take care of us in order for there to be order, safety and civility but it is simply not so. Consult your history books. I acknowledged that further informaiton would be helpful to draw a conclusive opinion on this matter. But if I regularly see patrol vehicles, it is probably safe to say that others do too. You apparently seem to have a great deal of information on how all this works; perhaps you can shed some light? I live on a planet that thinks freedom can still perhaps be reattained, and that it is none of your business what I do unless I am harming you. You all seem to have accepted the present situation, which is a sick and morbid combination of Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World. It is fascinating (and depressing) that you (a clearly well spoken and educated person) can not conceive of a world in which someone might want to protect themselves and maybe even others. At least double d can somehow find humor in comparing the advocacy of freedom with the Jersey Shore.

We are a country of rules and ;laws that TRIES to make it fair for everyone. Sorry, but the Wild West did not work out and sorry, there are too many loons in the world out there today. Oh, I can imagine what I'd like the world to be...unfortunately, that is not going to be accomplished when you have loons running out there. I know exactly what I would like but perception and reality are two different things....

Your history on the wild west is quite wrong; perhaps you should read some libertarian sources. Murray Rothbard would be a good start. Your deference to government benignity is baffling. Do they possess some trait for goodness that escapes the ordinary private citizen? I would posit that they are in fact more prone to corruption and immorality being as though they seek to exert illegitimate and ego-maniacal power over others, while I am merely seeking to be left alone. Is that too much to ask or do I need you to coerce me into not smoking on municipal property? Your views are highly inconsistent.

I KNEW IT...A LIBERTARIAN.....you could have saved us a lot of time here Robert...it all makes sense now.. Sorry, but the Libertarian utopia world I have come to know just doesn't work in the world that the rest of us live in. Like it or not, the whole world is inter-related. Back before we got involved in WW2, Roosevelt wanted NOTHING to do with what was going on....sort of like what I hear from other Libertarians about closing the borders down etc. Their words, not mine. Worked great for us until the Japanese didn't care and bombed us. So while I respect your right to your views etc, they simply do not work in our society. Now that I know where you sit, we can just end it there because I'm not going to try, nor would I ever, convert you. Makes sense now...

The libertarian philosophy is not utopian. Your history is again wrong on FDR and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. FDR was not an isolationist; Charles Lindbergh was, but I guess that is beside the point. It looks like it comes down to the fact that you read bad history. FDR was supplying the British with arms and he cut off Japanese access to Indonesian oil. Does it strike you as odd that this country flourished when it was free and began its descent when it adopted socialism? You keep up the coercion; I'll keep working on freedom and Dale can keep insulting people.

There have positions that have not been filled and they have been asking for more officers for the last several years. Where have you been the last several years? This is not new. they have not added any. They chose to not replace the rank of Captain...If you had been paying attention to the budget meetings the last several years you would have known this...

Settle down jerky...I'm agreeing with you...
Im just astonished at the fact that they haven't been replacing the officers through the years...and pick now...

First of all, dispense with the name calling. Second, maybe you know what was in your head but when you write something, others do not know....so look at what you wrote and tell us how we are supposed to understand that you support hiring officer? Quite the opposite, pal.

riiiiight ease up on the caffeine...you look foolish arguing everyone that you think doesnt agree with with you...and in this case i was.