Letter to the Editor from Deputy John Curtis

To the Editor:

I am writing this letter to address comments in last week’s paper. Having law enforcement officers living in or near your town is not police protection. When I think of police protection, I would like officers to be able to respond in a reasonable time. If you live in a city that has a small jurisdiction and a full-time police force, this response time should only be a few minutes. If you live in a rural setting, this response time is going to be much longer. If there are no Wetumka officers on duty when a citizen contacts 911, they will not call me at home or at my other job to respond to a citizen’s need. The 911 dispatch will contact a deputy that is working. That deputy or deputies will do their absolute best to respond and take care of any issues. Our sheriff’s office covers over 800 miles. Deputies will respond as soon as possible. I want everyone to understand that I love our community and have spent most of my adult life protecting and serving you. I don’t want you to have a false sense of security. I am praying for our leadership and community.

John Curtis

Hughes County Reserve Deputy