The response: City police officers deserve better from leadership

We are used to people disagreeing with us.

In fact, it is something we welcome. No issue of importance is ever truly decided without a debate and a resulting compromise.

So, it did not bother us at all that the Goldsboro City Council spent a portion of a recent meeting reading a statement, which was endorsed by the city officials and the council, asserting that we were not only wrong about the state of affairs at the city police department, but also insinuating that we made it all up.

It implied something else, too, which we did object to, but we will handle that in a minute.

In truth, the statement really did not shock us either. We are used to being the scapegoats when politicians and bureaucrats hear things they do not want to hear.

We are also aware, that there is an "investigation" going on to try to find out who talked to us about concerns that the city police leadership was not taking the crime issues in the city seriously enough. The stated purpose: To find out who "went outside the chain of command."

We cannot begin to tell you how hypocritical a statement that is from a law enforcement body that is asking the community to share information with the police -- and to abandon the worries about being called a snitch.

But there are more important issues to address, so let's begin.

First off, we made up nothing. These were real police officers who were really concerned about the amount of crime in the community and their boss's response to it. They were not after his job or seeking to do anything except address a concern.

And, as a side note, we have no reason to make up anything to "sell papers." All we have to do is to continue to report on the shootings, armed robberies and other incidents that are common on the public record. They are "headline-grabbing" enough on their own.

And that leads us to the portion of the statement that does need a response -- and a stern one.

This newspaper has and always will support every man and woman who wears a badge and who risks his or her life to protect this community.

We have seen firsthand the work of the city's police officers and we have met very few whose first and most important priority is not to make sure their fellow citizens are safe.

They care about this community -- that is why some of them decided they could not be silent any longer.

This newspaper stands firmly in their corner -- and always has.

Now, to one of the most important points raised by the officers' comments and the council's response.

The way to handle a problem is not to hide it. Pretending that there is no crime in the city -- and that it is under control -- is irresponsible and counterproductive.

If the city wants a roadmap for how to handle issues like this, it can look straight to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and its leader, Sheriff Larry Pierce.

He tells it like it is and gives the community the information it needs.

And his deputies and investigators are getting the job done.

He hasn't fixed everything yet, but he is making a mark -- and this community is getting safer because of the superb efforts of not only the bosses, but the men and women who are in those patrol cars every day.

There are first-class officers on the Goldsboro police force. They put themselves in harm's way every day. We salute the good work they are doing, too.

They should be able to count on the support of their community.

Let's just hope that they also can count on the city leadership.

Published in Editorials on January 31, 2015 10:48 PM