From the basement into the light

OUR OPINION
Published: August 12, 2008

Dumfries police work out of a basement in the Dumfries Town Hall? That sounds like a situation in need of a serious change.

And that is what it looked as if the Dumfries Town Council had decided to do — make a change. But, now they are going back and forth yet again on the issue.

Two weeks ago the council had decided to finally settle the issue and move the police into a leased space in the Triangle Shopping Plaza for three years until a more permanent location is found. The
actual vote to approve the move happened in June.

But on Aug. 5, despite the fact that the issue has already been decided, council members began to argue about the move again, and now it appears the issue is going to be turned over to a committee
formed to examine the situation.

This is ridiculous. The Dumfries police shouldn’t be working out of a basement and the council members need to put aside their differences and make a decision that is in the best interest of the police
and the town.

In fact, the council has already done this, more than once. Stick with your decision and move the police.

Giving the police more room certainly won’t harm their effectiveness. And is this really a situation that needs to be addressed time and time again, even after a decision has been made?

Public safety is not an afterthought, it’s not a political discussion and it is not a proxy issue for settling personal differences. It can be a matter of life and death.

If a committee must be used to settle this issue, then so be it.

But the Dumfries Town Council should work to ensure that this situation moves quickly to resolution.

For this argument to go on any longer would be a detriment to the town.