You should investigate and explain the claims of Seattle police that increased number of police do not help reduce crime. (Your March 15, 2006 issue.)

One factor to keep in mind is that more crimes will be reported when people have more confidence that police are paying attention. That may obscure the reality that crime has decreased.

Your article contains an apparent contradiction by police. They say they cannot move police to areas with more crime because availability of police in other areas would drop below that required for timely response. On the face of it that means that there are not enough police. Yet police are suggesting that more police would not help.

Politicians have the wrong priorities. Protection of people against the initiation of physical force is the most important function of government. Ample funds exist in government income, but they are squandered on activities that are at best a distant second to Job 1.

I refer you and your readers to Tara Smith's book Moral Rights and Political Freedom for justification of the need to protect individuals against the initiation of physical force, which includes threats.

Keith Sketchley