Show Law A And n d Citizens An interested Bountiful cHizen's cit citizens citizen's citizens citizen's cit cit- I izen's concern for law and order I has prompted Dean O. O Gus Gus' Anderson chief of or Police for Bountiful to give his thoughts about on the issue CHIEF ANDERSONS ANDERSON'S opinIons opinions opinions ions on the question we were r e prompted recently by a letter asking what part a citizen plays in maintaining law and order The Chief answered by writing Thank you for being concerned about law and order in our community I am happy to submit to you some of my ideas as to what you and other persons can do to assist law enforcement in the fight against crime and delinquency I realize that my 16 years experience as a policemen might cause me to take a different view of the than that of a alay lay citizen However I remind you that Im I'm also a father a husband husband husband hus hus- band and a citizen and as such I am also concerned y I I WOULD first suggest that you give support to law en enforcement enforcement enforcement en- en In your community Get acquainted with the policemen policemen policemen police police- men and sheriffs sheriff's deputies that service your neighborhood neighbor h 0 0 d. d Discuss the problem with them I Cooperate with them when you youcan youcan youcan can by giving information aswell as aswell aswell well as advice and constructive I tive Uve criticism Law enforcement enforcement enforcement enforce enforce- ment is spread so thin throughout through through- out all of our communities that the only hope we have of preventing preventing preventing pre pre- venting a serious situation from getting worse Is to get community community community com com- involvement I would not suggest that each citizen assume the role of a policeman policeman policeman police police- man and play cops and robbers robbers' robbers robbers' robbers robbers' rob rob- bers' bers in their neighborhood I would only recommend that people people peo pea pie with Information that would be helpful to law enforcement make this information avail avail- able Police problems are community community com com- problems and they can only be solved by cooperation and coordination of effort Much has been said about juvenile misbehavior I personally personally personally per per- feel that many of the mistakes made by young people people people peo peo- are made because they have havethe havethe havethe the ability and the opportunity As responsible adults we should take steps to limit these opportunities A young inexperienced Inexperienced inexperienced inex Inex- mind yields easily to temptation FOR EXAMPLE statistics show that 75 per cent o of all stolen vehicles are driven away I by juveniles using the keys that were left in the car probably I by some adult By being alert I enough to lock our automobiles and removing the keys from the Ignition we will prevent many automobiles from being stolen and many youngsters will not be labeled as auto thieves Also many of our stores do their merchandising in such a 3 away away way that the temptation to shoplift shoplift shop shop- lift comes too easily to our young people I feel that adults quite often contribute unwittingly unwitting unWitting- ly to the delinquency of young young- OUR HOMES are the foundation foundation foundation foun foun- I dation of our society and we should see that they contribute to the proper growth and de development development development de- de of our chi children 1 d r e n. n Every child has the right to be raised in a decent home I think that we should teach our children that the home is partly theirs and they should be given responsibilities according to their age and ability Our homes should have a religious atmosphere atmosphere atmosphere atmos atmos- phere where our children are taught that God Is not dead I Too much emphasis is put on I materialism and not enough on spirituality 4 I J feel that our homes should I provide our youngsters with good instruction and good ex examples examples ex- ex 1 amples of behavior We should I give our children the supervision supervision super super- I vision that they need and want wantI I so badly I think that parents I should make the home a place where the young people want to spend their tI time me and where they want to bring their friends Then I strongly suggest that we make ourselves available when I they need us to help them with their problems FINALLY I would suggest that you get Involved in community community community com com- affairs See that good honest men are elected to lo positions positions positions of public trust so that the affairs of government will always be in good hands I would further recommend that you support those leaders who are trying to do a worthwhile job Anyone can stand in the background and criticize and condemn When criticism Is deserved It should be given but I feel that we criticize and find fault too often without a basis of fact I suggest that you attend your ci city ty council or county county county coun coun- ty commission meetings oc occasionally occasionally oc- oc and let your elected officials know how you feel about things that are being done See LAW on page 2 LAW Continued from rom front page in your community These leaders leaders lead lead- ers solicit and need your helpful helpful helpful help help- ful suggestions Ill I'll close by stating that Im I'm very optimistic about our future in spite of the civil disturbances rioting looting and the increasing crime rate I see a need of a degree of righteous and indignation on the part of decent law-abiding law citizens like yourself We cannot cannot cannot can can- not afford to be permissive in any degree towards those who lack respect for the rights and property of others Im I'm glad that most people like you stand standon on the side of law and order and decency More people with this attitude should stand up and be counted and let their feelings be known I I SINCERELY hope that I have at least partially an answered answered answered an- an your inquiry Thanks again for your expression of concern and your desire to get involved If I can be of ot further help please feel free to callon call callon callon on me at any time I |