The city of Selma is hosting a community forum Tuesday about public safety at the George P. Evans Reception Hall at 6 p.m.

District attorney Michael Jackson, police chief John Brock and sheriff Harris Huffman are also scheduled to speak at the forum, which will discuss gang activity in Selma, ways to prevent crime and neighborhood watch programs.

Safety is a hot topic everywhere, but it’s often the main discussion on social media in the Selma area. Considering the crime rate in Selma, that’s not all that surprising.

With that in mind, the city should be applauded for holding this type of forum. People understandably have questions — and strong opinions — about the crime going on in the community.  The forum may help alleviate some of their concerns and also learn more about what police are doing to help curtail the gang activity in the city.

The forum also brings the sheriff’s department, police department and district attorney’s office together and lets citizens get a chance to hear from them personally.  Just as importantly, it lets the officers to get to know the community they serve.

Those relationships are vital to changing Selma’s crime statistics. Our officers work hard, but they don’t know everything going on in Selma. They need the help of neighborhood watch programs and citizens who aren’t afraid to speak up when they see a crime.

We hope to see a big crowd Tuesday for this forum.

This is the type of event that should be well-attended because of how important the message is.