Why publicize extra patrols?

Published 12:51 pm Friday, December 21, 2007

Please explain, as I just don’t get it. Herald writer Jackson Holtz tells us in his Dec. 14 article, “Expect extra patrols tonight,” implying that we should wait until the following night to drink and drive. If the objective is to spend extra tax money to catch drunks — and a good many officers will be drawing overtime — why do you warn those we want them to catch?

During a similar emphasis patrol last year, troopers and local police made 30 drunken driving arrests. How many might they have made had they not warned drunk drivers that the law would be out in force?

Why do radio stations tell their listeners where the radar officers are who are catching those who endanger law-abiding drivers? That only sends the speeders through some other area, maybe killing a member of your family.

Why don’t you also print the neighborhood zones that will have extra surveillance by burglary division officers? That way the burglars will be aware they should work another area. Shouldn’t drug dealers and prostitutes also be warned?

Why are our law enforcement agencies telegraphing their moves? Why don’t they call in the news media and tell them how well they did when they did their extra enforcement last week? I suppose The Herald is too ethical to lie for the police, but we non-criminals would be better off if you printed that the patrol would be out every night until Jan. 5, and they’d be working 24/7 on every single road. Whose side are you on?

Ron Larsen