Police equipment a good use of taxes

Our Voice

By: Hickory Daily Record Editorial | Hickory Daily Record
Published: July 24, 2009

Police officers put their lives on the line for us each time they climb into their patrol cars, serve a warrant or stop a car for speeding. They do their jobs as public servants for a paycheck that in most cases does not compensate them fairly for the dangerous work they do every day.

This is why we applaud the Hickory City Council for doing the right thing for our police department by clearing the way for a $48,250 Justice Assistance Grant. The money will be used to update, upgrade and replace old or worn out police equipment.

The grant is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which is designed to stimulate the economy and create jobs. The amount available to law enforcement agencies was based on a formula that weighs population and crime statistics.

The economic climate here is worse than many areas in the state. Our more than 15 percent unemployment leads North Carolina and is in the 10 highest in the nation. It is no wonder that the daily police reports are filled with armed robberies, breaking and enterings and other property crimes.

This is a sure sign that people are out of work and are desperate. Crime rates seem to jump when people are struggling to make ends meet and cannot find a job.

These factors make a police officer's job tougher — desperate people do desperate things.

With the federal money the police department will buy shotguns, Tasers, tactical equipment and helmets for the Special Operations Team, speed-measuring devices and equipment for the department's workout room. When possible, the equipment will be purchased from local vendors and manufacturers. This is the right approach when spending this money.

Buying this equipment from area businesses should help stimulate the local economy.

This money should provide the police department with the equipment necessary for the officers to perform their duties safer and more affectively.

Providing modern equipment to help police keep us safe is always a good use of taxpayer money.