Editor, The Era-Leader:
What a month it has been for the city of Bogalusa. Since December 18, 2023, when Mayor Tyrin Truong made his request that the city council of Bogalusa disband the police department, the city has suffered an active shooter incident in Sunset Acres subdivision, an individual mutilating himself at the Bogalusa Wal Mart, an attempted armed robbery that was perpetrated on December 2nd resulting in an arrest on December 19th, and then the shooting at the Bogalusa High School that tragically took the life of one young man and injured another.
Then to add to all this, out of five suspects arrested for the shooting, one turns out to be the half-brother of Mayor Truong and the nephew of councilwoman at large, Tamira Smith.
This is the second shooting that is related to Bogalusa High School. Aaron Brown, an 18-year-old junior at Bogalusa High School, was fatally shot while getting off the bus on Aug. 23, 2021. While Mayor Truong was not mayor during this incident, it adds to the problems of violence in Bogalusa.
So what is the solution?
If you are looking for an easy answer or quick-fix, that will be a futile endeavor. The problem of violence in cities is complex and involves many different social and economic factors. These aren't helped with the addition of drugs and crime thrown in the mix.
However, in my own opinion, disbanding or reducing the police department is not, in any form, a good idea. So much more is being placed upon police officers. They must, in addition to enforcing existing laws, investigating crimes, and arresting the criminals, now become social workers, mental health custodians, and domestic arbitrators. What's ironic is that these additional chores have counterparts that complete higher education requirements for degrees in these disciplines, but law enforcement officers get rudimentary training. Yet, they are held to high standards of recognition and intervention on the streets. And, rest assured, their pay is not commensurate with the responsibilities placed on them.
Ben M Sarro, Franklinton
