Proud of police in Cape

To the editor:

The Southeast Missourian recently had stories regarding the assaults sustained by some of Cape Girardeau's police officers. The purpose of those articles was to enlighten us about the dangers officers face, heighten our appreciation for what they do and help us understand the need for stiffer penalties against those who inflict injuries on officers.

Some people chose to use that information to degrade Cape's police and make unsubstantiated comparisons with other departments.

To say other law enforcement agencies don't seem to have a problem with assaults on their officers is ludicrous. This is inevitable in policing. Without credible assault statistics, one would have to deduce that these comparisons were based on hearsay or the faulty assumption that if it's not in the news, it's not happening.

The competency of any police force is best judged by the amount of arrests made in which no one is hurt, including the suspect.

I believe Cape Girardeau has a police department it should be proud of. I suggest any Cape resident who's concerned about the competency of the police department should contact chief Steve Strong, go for a ride-along and sign up for the department's civilian academy.

LORIE PEATS, Jackson