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LETTER: Hiring more police officers is not the answer Surrey needs

One reader says more education, opportunities that steer youth away from bad choices is needed
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I’m getting really tired of politicians trying to convince us that they have the answer to making our streets safer by throwing more police officers into the mix. We will pay for that through higher taxes.

Let’s have fewer police officers on the street, more parents staying at home to raise their kids and more parents handing out constructive discipline so it doesn’t elevate to police intervention as the kids get older.

Let’s bring back constructive discipline into the schools. Let’s read our papers and hear about the great things that our youth are doing. Let’s hear about the accomplishments that are happening. Let’s recognize and celebrate them, and not be concerned that someone will feel bad that they didn’t accomplish as high a standing.

Let’s offer age and ability levels of activities and learning, so everyone has the chance to be successful. Yes, we need more education, or opportunities that steer youth away from making bad choices.

That starts at home. Parents, encourage your kids, get them involved in helping others and steer them in the right direction. If it’s appropriate, turn your kids in to the authorities. Just stop the bad behaviour now, before it escalates to their – or someone else’s – death.

Next let’s look at the legal system. How many times did you read that someone has had 20-plus convictions for car theft and they were caught stealing a car? Let’s hold the judges and parole boards accountable. Let’s celebrate great sentences and denounce the bad sentences.

Let’s back up the police and show them that we believe in, respect and honour their efforts. If they catch them then let’s deal with them.

Is anyone else thinking the same?

Maybe we should just do nothing and pay another 25 cents per litre for fuel in order to flood the streets with more police officers.

Don Sullivan, Surrey