Letters to the editor for Sept. 3
Support for Olympia businesses
I’ve just read the Aug. 16 front-page article on the plight of the Olympia business community. The pandemic is not what is preventing me from supporting the business community, it’s the lawlessness that exists there whenever a group, unannounced, decides to protest or vandalize in the area. Until the hands of the police are untied, I will not feel comfortable on the streets any time of day or night, and I miss the enjoyment of patronizing the community.
It’s one thing to know in advance that there will be a peaceful demonstration at a prescribed time and place, and quite another to suddenly find yourself surrounded by unruly malcontents anywhere and any time they choose to appear.
Olympia merchants have a lot to offer local shoppers and tourists and hopefully most of them can survive this.
M L Williams, Lacey
Safe schools depend on safe homes
“We have a gun problem! ... and we can address this with courage” — tweeted by @Reykdal
Encouraging words like this from State Superintendent Chris Reykdal make me proud to be a Washington state resident, and an Olympia School District parent. OSD is working tirelessly to address the safety and academic challenges of school starting in the throes of COVID-19. But I want to highlight work they have done that relates to another aspect of student safety.
Olympia Superintendent Patrick Murphy has demonstrated that he takes the issue of firearm safety seriously. All schools in the district now have fliers on safe firearm storage in their front office. He also attached the flier in the June 2019 Summer Safety email with details on how to get free gun locks. These efforts contribute to normalizing the topic of safe firearm practices.
The flier, by Seattle Children’s Hospital, also includes templates for asking others about their storage practices. Although hanging out and play dates at others’ homes are not relevant until our communities open up again, the need for safe firearm storage is as important as ever with children at home, families under tremendous stress, and guns far too available.
Fliers are available at the Health and Safety section of Seattle Children’s website and OSD at 360-596-610. Free gunlocks are available at the Olympia Police Department between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Ask at the front desk.
I look forward to OSD’s continued and courageous efforts to address this crisis.
Joanna Briese, Olympia
Don’t defund police
Look. It’s easy for people to bad-mouth cops until someone threatens or harms you and there is nowhere else to turn. I once rented a home to some devout anarchists who had trouble with a roommate who was a big, strong, violent male. When it reached the point that he forced everyone else to stay in their bedrooms while he was using the kitchen, even the anarchists called the cops.
Within human societies, there is always someone in control. If it’s not the police, it will be gangs or warlords. And I don’t think many people would feel comfortable with the Hell’s Angels enforcing laws instead of cops. The goal should be to make police better, not defund or get rid of them. I suggest the following:
First, add social workers to police (like Olympia does) so armed officers don’t have to respond to non-violent calls like drug overdoses or mental illness.
Second, replace SWAT teams with snipers and negotiators and just have regular police assault targets when needed. Police will use whatever they are given, so restricting militarized force would help prevent its unnecessary use.
Third, officers should ultimately be hired/fired by a citizen review board, not the Sheriff or Police Chief. These commanders should review candidates to make sure they’re qualified, but the citizens should make the choice or decision.
Finally, cops, like teachers, need to get better pay and benefits. That’s how you attract the best.
Steve Shanewise, Olympia