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From a friend.

ATTN: DAVIDSON COUNTY, TN: NEED YOUR SUPPORT

I’m scheduled to speak at the Metro Council meeting in Nashville next Tuesday, the 21st. However, they have limited me, and other citizens, to 2 minutes. Wow! How generous. Just another example of arrogant politicians locking out public input. Amazing how quickly these people forget who gave them their jobs. If any of my Davidson County friends are interested, I would appreciate your support by showing up at this meeting.

Here is the email message I sent to them over a week ago (they ignored it), which I will read to them in person:
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Dear Mayor Briley and Metro Council Members,

The Wall Street Journal published an eye-opening report a few days ago saying the annual murder rate rose 27% nationally. Buried somewhere in that frightening statistic is our Metro Area.

So, I went online so see what MY local government is doing to combat our unprecedented crime increase, only to learn that our representatives, which includes your office, has exacerbated the growing threat by slashing the Metro Police Department’s budget, which sadly comprises a mere 21% of the total. Compared to the money devoted to National Defense by Congress and President Trump, the Davidson County budget is disgraceful at best. It failed us, thanks to your misplaced priorities.

Within that context, here is what I’d like to know: To what criteria do you refer to defend severe cuts in police services at this crucial period when more crime is being reported here than ever before? Makes no sense to me, particularly when 40% of the budget goes to education, part of which includes money to pay for unproven social programs, not to mention high salaries for too many administrators. Is it politically driven? I think so. Because the education department is top-heavy, that’s where you should focus your cuts to free up money our Metro PD needs and deserves more than ever. Another consideration for saving money is to relieve Metro PD from interstate freeway traffic enforcement, accident investigations, and other resource-consuming incidents. Within the majority of jurisdictions nationally, the state highway patrol has primary responsibility for those duties; yet rarely do I see the THP making stops or patrolling within the Metro area.

As you well know, people everywhere are scared to death because crime-in-the streets against persons has expanded beyond the historical borders of blighted neighborhoods. Even our tourist-driven downtown area has seen a rise in major crimes, alongside districts that had been considered safe by its residents. For example: Our son and daughter live in Inglewood, a relatively stable neighborhood where many elderly folks have resided for decades. In the past month, however, there have been two daytime robberies, one of which was perpetuated against a 90-year-old lady who was thrown to the ground and injured! Exacerbated by the frequency and volume of crime is the viciousness of it. Yet, considering the paucity of money you’ve seen fit to include in your budget to help shield these types of victims from harm, it’s no big deal. Politics, déjà vu. Indeed, crime in Davidson County is out of control.

Because public safety seems NOT to be a top priority for our Metro Government, I’m wondering if perhaps there might be an anti-police sentiment residing within the Metro Council? Have politics trumped principle? Hope I’m wrong, but that’s way it appears, absent any other reasonable explanation why the protection of citizens has not been elevated to and remained THE number one priority for our community leaders.

To “protect life and property” is government’s primary mission (both local and Federal), an American ideal that too often is ignored by politicians at the expense of taxpaying citizens.