DCPD loss bad for David City

I would like to voice my opinion about the upcoming vote on the David City Police Department.

Referring to last week's Banner-Press, the mayor stated that the police department is inefficient and ineffective. For the mayor to make such a statement I feel is completely irresponsible.

While I feel that the police department could save a little money by changing a few things, part of this may have been due to the administration in not watching the program. To say that the department is ineffective I feel is a very gross statement. David City has been relatively free of serious crime and at least part of this must be contributed to the police department.

The next paragraph goes on to say that the city has received negative publicity because of the recall effort.

Here again I feel that the mayor must accept most of the responsibility for this. If the mayor had allowed the recall to proceed without all the court challenges, the recall probably would not have made the front page of the "Loma Gazette."

And, finally, I don't feel it should be up to the citizens of David City to decide the fate of the police department. The mayor and city council have the responsibility to provide streets, lights and water, as well as other necessary services such as public safety.

If the public is to vote on the police department, why not let them vote to see if they want the county to take care of the streets. The county already does some of the township road. Let the Butler County Power District take over the light department; they provide the electrical services to most of the other towns in Butler County; or let the NRD provide the water services; they already pipe water to Bruno.

Again in my opinion, I feel it will have a very negative effect if the David City Police Department is dissolved.

Sometime in the future the mayor's office will change; the city council will change, and the sheriff's office will change, but David City would still be left without a police department.

Leo F. Meister

David City