GOOD FIRST STEP

Safety in numbers has taken on a new meaning in the last two weeks.

Credit is due to the Rocky Mount Police Department and its Street
Engagement Team, which has beefed up its staff, set a focus and seen
real results.

In a span of two weeks, the Street Engagement Team made 118 arrests,
took 21 guns off the street, confiscated hundreds of grams of drugs
and caught a prominent drug dealer - a surprising report in such a
short period.

By choosing guns and illegal drugs as its focus, the Street
Engagement Team is directly targeting some of the crimes that have
ravaged our city.

When Johnny Antonio "Tony" Best was shot and killed in broad daylight
in late January, police said a motive was yet to be determined, but
drugs were a possible factor.

That same month, 27-month-old Jamir Whitaker was shot in the head,
and his father was shot in the abdomen and back. Police reportedly
found 17 pounds of marijuana and $3,500 in cash and drug
paraphernalia in the home.

And so on and so on. Time and again, when crimes are reported, drugs
come into the situation.

The recent report from the Street Engagement Team is a positive and
laudible step. Rocky Mount residents should feel solace that one of
their biggest concerns has been met - 21 guns are off the street.

We can't expect high numbers every week, but the team is off to a
promising start.