Stop muggings on city’s main street

Published 12:00 am Saturday, November 11, 2006

To the Editor:

It is a shame, a disgrace, and a poor reflection on Mayor Perkins and Police Chief Martin that citizens cannot walk down the main street of this city without being mugged. The latest mugging Wednesday night brings to five robberies or attempted robberies in the Broad Street area in the last two weeks.

Meanwhile, the mayor continues his ostrich-like approach to the rampant crime by saying more police officers would not combat the crime problem in Selma. Instead, his solution to crime appears to be to spend $500,000 on TrustBuild to tell people who will not work where to go to get more government handouts. If police officers were visible on Broad Street, none of these recent muggings would have taken place.

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If this disgraceful situation of women being mugged on Broad Street continues, the police chief should be fired and the mayor should be impeached for neglect of duty. After six years in office, the mayor still does not understand that his No. 1 responsibility is not speculating in land purchases, running hospitals or hotels, or even building schools. His first priority as chief law enforcement officer in this city is to protect Selma’s citizens and their property.

Mayor, please put some officers in sight of Broad and Lauderdale streets when darkness comes. As far as the police chief knowing what he is supposed to do, he is, as the country song says, like a man trying to solve a mystery without a clue.

Cecil Williamson

Councilman Ward 1