By Staff
Brewton police officers have chosen a big-city way to take care of small town problems.
Four Brewton police officers are now on an occasional walking beat in the East Jackson Street and Sowell Road area. The patrols are meant to get police officers closer to the community - and, obviously, to keep crime problems at bay.
Police Chief Monte McGougin said the area officers are patrolling is one of the worst in terms of drug activity in the city limits - but he hopes to be able to put officers on a walking beat in other areas as well, as resources allow.
As it is, the four officers on the Sowell Road beat are working overtime - a luxury McGougin and his staff can't always afford.
We applaud the unique strategy the police department has undertaken to continue to try to curb our community's biggest crime problems.
We hope the city will be able to look into making this a permanent option for the department, so that we can keep our neighborhoods as safe as possible.
Many of the folks who live in the East Jackson Street area are glad to have the police presence - and they deserve to feel safe in their homes.
While we know resources can be tight, if this program is successful, we hope city officials will look to make it financially feasible for the foreseeable future.
In the meantime, thanks to our police officers for their hard work.