LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

American virtue

Editor, the Journal,

Sheriff Ryan Spurling recently spoke to The North Mason Rotary Club. He shared plans, statistics and Peelian principles of ethical policing. To be average, the Sheriff’s Office needs 80 officers, but it has only 48 (FBI UCR/LEOKA 2019). The jails are re-accredited (waspc.org). The violent crime clearance rate is up 7.8 percent compared with the last 10 years (cde.ucr.cjis.gov). Alternatives to jail are thriving for veterans, people addicted to drugs, and people with mental illness (masoncountywa.gov). I am proud to see this man in a position of responsibility. However, I worry that our sheriff may not see that people only turn to crime when they lack freedom and equality in their pursuit of happiness.

The first Peelian principle is prevention, not punishment. We should prioritize assisting victims, restoring communities and holding offenders responsible through partnerships. This is more effective than getting mean and scaring people. We need to explore the strengths of programs like victim-offender meets, family meets, supervised crime repair, restitution, community panels, cross-group case management, victim awareness education and offender-neighborhood reintegration (OJP NCJ 242196). The founders would roll in their graves to hear that we use jail to scare people. This is not an American virtue.

Making people unfree is un-American. It is also contrary to Peelian principles and restorative justice. We must focus on educating, rehabilitating, and restoring families and neighborhoods experiencing crime. Building a new jail is not the answer. We the people, a free people, must insist on liberty and equal justice for all.

Schyler P. Raadt, Shelton

Kudos, Allyn post office

Editor, the Journal,

We often hear complaints about the inefficiency of government agencies, at all levels, in dealing with the public, but I would like to cite a recent example of the opposite.

I recently renewed my passport by mail and was told that normal processing time was eight to 11 weeks from receipt, not mailing date.

The process began with a visit to the Allyn post office for the required photo and mailing, where the staff could not have been more efficient or friendly.

Bottom line, the total elapsed time until I received the new passport was five weeks, not eight to 11, and this included the Thanksgiving holiday.

Kudos to the many dedicated employees in this process for efficiently serving the public.

Steve Hecht, Grapeview

Lights on

Editor, the Journal,

As winter is here and vision is gone, turn your headlights on, especially while driving in town or in the city.

You can see me, but I can’t see you. Don’t cause accidents.

I am surprised that none of our police or sheriff departments or State Patrol has not enforced this issue.

Also, the insurance companies have done nothing on this issue, nor any has state government.

“Stay safe!”

I will probably write this same letter next year.

Gordon Keller, Shelton