To the Editor:

What an embarrassment and a black eye for the City of Selma!

How did Mayor Perkins, Chief Martin and the remainder of us in city government let drug lords take over part of our city for six years?

I again call for the naming of a new Police Chief.

The Mayor and Chief Martin, our top city leaders, must take responsibility for permitting this unconscionable drug and crime situation to exist in a city neighborhood for years.

Citizens can be thankful that federal and state law enforcement officials came to Selma and did what our city leaders either could not or would not do.

Like sloppy surgeons, the Mayor and Police Chief have emasculated a once proud, fully staffed, well equipped, potent Selma Police Department.

Under the present leadership, the SPD is now an impotent eunuch powerless to perform in stopping crime and drug lords.

There is a reason that out of 456 cities in Alabama, Selma lost more people between 2000 and 2005 than 449 of the cities.

According to the Alabama State Data Center, only six cities lost more people than Selma did in the five year period.

The primary reasons for this loss of 5.4 percent of our population in five years is the crime in the city and the lack of initiative in dealing with this problem by the city leadership.

When the Mayor, the Police Chief, and the majority of my colleagues on the City Council understand that social engineering and give away programs are not the way to fight crime and when they begin to protect the lives and property of the people of Selma, then I will gladly join hand with the Mayor and Mrs. Bennie Ruth Crenshaw around the inclusion sign on the city hall lawn and sing “Cum by Yah” with them.

Cecil Williamson

Councilman

Ward 1