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Midway cuts police
Letters to the Editor
lettereditor

Editor, How low can they go? You probably know that I have no love for the Midway City Council. This is one reason why: At the March 9 city council meeting, they didn’t fail to disappoint me and let down the residents of Midway.
Chief of Police Kelli Morningstar requested that the council approve the hiring of a shift officer to cover high-crime times, along with a replacement for an officer who was leaving the force. Both positions are in the budget. Except for Councilwoman Melice Gerace, the council turned the chief down.
From a statement that he made, it was obvious that Councilman Stanley Brown is totally against the police department. He said that the police needed ethics and needed to know how to talk to people. This sounded to me like a prejudicial remark against the police.
Whenever I met with any Midway police officer, they were very polite and helpful. Maybe Brown was referring to how the police handle criminals. If they commit a crime, they deserve what they get.
In a previous meeting, Councilman Brown expressed that he doesn’t want the Midway Police to back up the sheriff’s department outside of Midway, which means that our officers would not be supported by the sheriff’s department. Sheriff Steve Sykes stopped by after that and put Councilman Brown in his place.
Councilmen Levern Clancy Jr. and Curtis Roberts Sr. sat there, as they usually do, looking like bumps on a log. These two never support the people who work for the city.
I informed councilmembers that they are responsible for the city’s safety; and I asked each member on the council to tell me why they were turning down the chief’s request.
Mayor Dr. Clemontine Washington stated, “We don’t have to tell you anything.” I then lost my temper, as I could not believe their impertinence. This is her attitude toward the citizens of Midway.
Should you call 911 and find that no one responds, it could be because the few officers we have are busy handling other calls.

Len Calderone
Midway

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