GIVE POLICE MORE HELP IN DRUG FIGHT

The first reaction for anyone reading "The Cocaine Epidemic" package
in Sunday's paper should be alarm. Profound, unsettling alarm.
Mounting cocaine arrests across the region during the past year
testify to the epidemic's pervasive nature. Rising crime committed
against businesses and private property hits home for many. Worst of
all, violence spawned by drugs and gangs is increasing. Two homicides
in Rock Falls appear to fit the mold.

However, it's the second reaction to this news that is more important.

Will it be one of casual indifference, as readers or community
leaders shake their heads at the enormity of the problem, then forget
about it and move on?

Or will it be a clarion call for action to help rid the Sauk Valley
of this drug-induced plague?

Clearly, something must be done to increase our region's chances
against drug dealers. What should it be?

An underlying theme of Sunday's stories appears to be this: If police
had more help, they could do a better job battling the cocaine
epidemic. Some police say they've never seen so much drug activity.
Agencies have had to redeploy officers from other areas to take on
burgeoning drug traffickers and users, leaving important police work
on the back burner.

We pose this question:

Are the taxpayers, through their elected governments, willing to send
our police some much-needed reinforcements?

If so, the time to advocate for more officers is now.

Hiring and training more police officers takes money. The commitment
to spend additional money must be made by city councils, county
boards and the Illinois General Assembly through their annual budgets.

Coincidentally, local city council members and legislators are
approaching or have already started their preliminary budgetary
processes for upcoming fiscal years. Many cities begin their new year
on May 1, while the state's fiscal year starts July 1. Counties, by
the way, begin their fiscal year Dec. 1.

Citizens should ask elected officials whether their local police
departments have enough officers to be effective against the rising
volume of illegal drugs. If not, they should advocate for more money
for these hard-pressed departments.

State's Attorney Gary Spencer noted in a report to the Whiteside
County Board that police officers can't solve the problem themselves.

"Law enforcement is like the little Dutch boy with his finger in the
dike against this tide of illegal drugs coming into our area. ...
Everyone in our schools, health facilities, governmental and private
agencies needs to work together to address this epidemic," Spencer said.

This is true. However, while other agencies deal in prevention,
hiring more police officers would go a long way toward effecting a
cure. If law enforcement officers can keep arresting drug dealers and
sending them to prison, sooner or later they'll stay away.

This is a surge few can argue against - except the lawbreakers themselves.