The news that Daniel Louis McReynolds, also known as Little Rock, and 22 other drug offenders were taken off the streets was a relief to many in Selma.

It certainly helped the Selma Police Department close the book on a number of cases that caused officers and administrators tough days and sleepless nights.

These arrests were long overdue, and the operation was so large it required the use of outside law enforcement agencies as backup.

Unfortunately, many of those who made this such a difficult operation  were not a part of the recent roundups. They are the people who have been harboring these criminals and giving them a safe place to stay while they are on the run.

Those who took extensive steps to keep these criminals out of jail where they belong should be punished just as severely as those arrested if they are apprehended.  So many crimes could have been avoided if people just had the courage to say “no” when these drug dealers, robbers, burglars and violent criminals came knocking at their doors. There have often been complaints that low bonds led to additional crimes. Sometimes those awaiting trial for other offenses committed additional crimes. Now that bonds have steadily risen, this has been a less-frequent occurrence.

Now, the largest problem is becoming the enablers. As long as criminals know they have a sofa to crash on when the heat is turned up, in their mind there are no consequences to the illegal acts committed. There is no train bearing down on them at the end of the tunnel.

The only safe place for criminals should be inside a jail cell where those they have wronged cannot get to them. It’s time to stand up and leave these criminals out in the street to pay for their crimes. Those who do otherwise are just as guilty as the men and women on the wanted posters.