Good Mornin’! Good Mornin’!
Growing up there was Inverness Police Chief Otis Evans and later Dorsey Lee Evans. The county was overseen by Sheriff Jack Sessums.
No matter where you were in Sunflower County, you had a feeling if you got out of line, one of those men were watching. You walked a straighter line back then not wanting to find out any consequences.
Residents also felt safe. Safe from crime and danger and knew when help was needed a simple phone call was all that was needed. Now there was still crime and those who tested the intelligence and authority of these men. Most of them wound up in Parchman stripes and leg chains attaining new skills in the cotton field and county farm.
Now these men weren’t perfect but who is? I believe they pursued their profession and duties with professionalism, common sense and hard-nosed determination. I’m sure all of their co-workers may not have been the best and if so, were probably asked to try another profession.
But with today’s turmoil over a few bad cops, some major cities are looking to defund their police.
How does that even make sense?
One day you have some semblance of law and order and the next there’s no one in charge of police matters?
Who’s going to look in on elderly folks in their police beat?
Who’s going to provide escorts to dignitaries and hold back anyone who wants to violently protest something?
Who’s going to keep speeders and home invasions in check?
What’s to stop a murderer?
Now I agree that maybe there should be more training and vetting of law enforcement officials.
Every town isn’t Mayberry with only one town drunk and a goat that eats old dynamite. We don’t need any more half-cocked Barney’s out there spouting off but more cool-headed Andy Taylors sure would help.
There has to be some common sense put forth as you simply don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Now I realize I’m mostly preaching to the choir on this issue and these police defunding problems are happening way north of the Mason Dixon Line but the problems that will come out of just such a situation will cause tremors across every state in the nation.
I don’t have answers but the solution is not to defund your only possible means of keeping folks safe.
Find a way to fix it, have a dialogue and raise more awareness but don’t just break it and throw it away.
The wild, wild west was tamed by men who stood tall in the saddle, put their life on the line every day and attained respect by doing the job and showing folks the consequences of breaking the law.
Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and his brothers found a way to get it done way back then when life was hard but being a lawman was much harder. They weren’t always right or perfect but imagine where we’d be today without them.
I really don’t want to do that. I’m thankful for the lawmen who have presided over the county and towns I love and call home.
I know we don’t need to defund anything but actually need to give them a bigger budget and better pay. Let’s support them all and give them more resources to get their job done keeping us all safe.
Thanks, Sunflower County lawmen and women.
