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A quick Google search of Riverton, WY, will show you that we suffer from a high crime rate. What are we going to do to fix it? For the last several years, the solution has been to blame other people. That isn’t going to work anymore. What we need is more time spent on patrol, more money, and more community support for police.
Right now, most of the police’s time is spent responding to calls. I appreciate the necessity, but we also need a more proactive approach to crime. According to the Department of Justice, there is a relationship between police presence and crime deterrence. When officers have the time to patrol, they are more likely to deter crime before it happens.
How can we make this possible for the Riverton police department? We need to pay the officers what they deserve, and make the Riverton police department feel attractive to new recruits. The city council has started that process, but we know that those funds can only go so far. Shoshoni has found a solution to a similar problem. Their patrol officers pull over anyone going over the speed limit. Using the money they get from speeding tickets has helped to fund what would otherwise be an almost nonexistent budget.
Riverton could benefit from a similar attitude as Shoshoni. If the officers patrol traffic violations during the day, they will have the funds they need to patrol more violent or destructive crimes at night. I understand that getting a speeding ticket is not fun. That is why I have declared that I am willing to take the first ticket. I will not whine, or complain. This is how I will show the Riverton police department my support. The blame stops here.
Kara Hancock
Riverton