I wish I could make this message more dramatic but as a layman, my views may be one sided but i wish to express them for what they are worth. Our hard working Sheriff Deputies are laying their lives on the line, frequently performing dangerous duties, and need recognition.

However, from a financial view are our taxpayers receiving their dollars worth in the correct priorities from enforcement?

We hear the terms "going after the bad guys" which we feel needs rethinking.

The time and effort spent apprehending these bad guys, then going though our expensive justice system ( which seems far too lenient) provides very little payback for all the investment from taxpayers resources. Some times a slap on the wrist or to short jail time for repeat offenders... is this proper punishment?

There is however, income available if vehicle traffic enforcement was made a higher priority, and traffic officers were assigned and made available. As an example, the City of Seattle installed cameras at a few school zones and they are collecting millions of dollars from speeding driver in just a few locations.

These impatient drivers and there are many that speed, run red lights, tail gate, use cell phones or text , have animals in their laps while driving and the many other infractions are showing very little courtesy to other motorists, these behaviors occur daily, much to frequency.

Another concern is vehicles with improper aimed head lights, or one only headlight operating provides another driving hazard which is worrisome during heavy fog and the raindrops we have here.

Enforcing traffic offenders that do not obey the laws by ticketing these offenders would provide financial assistance to local coffers and would lesson traffic accidents,perhaps even lower auto insurance.

Another plus for having traffic officers: the so called bad guys and our youth who are presently seeing these laws broken daily with out penalty are given encouragement to ignore the laws too.(broken window theory) where as seeing action taken for traffic infractions just might make them take another look at what they are doing.

Also concerning is funding is available for Sports activities yet no funding for having a traffic officers to help control the above situation.

With Auto accidents and fatalities occurring at an alarming rate.WHY DON'T WE HAVE THE CORRECT PRIORITY,

Dick Thurnau,
Friends of Hicklin Lake
White Center