Shoot-first policing
EDITOR: The new simulators used by the Santa Rosa Police Department and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office underscores what is wrong with policing today (“Split-second decisions,” Thursday). Police are playing video games that seemingly have nothing to do with de-escalating situations and everything to do with shooting first.
Even the photos of slain officers at the beginning of the class skew the perspective. How about photos of unarmed people shot because an officer misread the situation or acted too quickly?
Yes, policing is an incredibly difficult job, which is why they deserve good salaries and benefits, and taxpayers must underwrite those costs. But the idea of policing is not to “fight,” as Sgt. Robert Reynolds asserted. It is to “protect.” These simulators don’t reflect that goal.
NANCY PEMBERTON
Sebastopol
Train horn showdown
EDITOR: When you put no horns and fast speed together with a public that isn’t used to frequent schedules and is always impatient, there’s bound to be serious accidents (“Cities should heed plea to be patient with train horns,” Editorial, Thursday).
This reminds me of a question I saw somewhere: At a railroad crossing, who has the right of way? Answer: By all known laws of physics, the train has the right of way.
If you buy a house near train tracks, you can expect to have train noise.
ROGER GRAEBER
Sebastopol
Getting priced out
EDITOR: Who can afford to live in Sonoma County? I would guess that we all know someone, if not 10 people, who are struggling to live here.
Sonoma County is my home, and it has been for 25 years. My mom went to the same elementary school as me, my grandparents bought their forever home for $70,000 in west Sebastopol, and it’s where I always imagined myself raising a family. Unfortunately, that dream of mine is becoming dimmer each time my rent increases.
I am so grateful to have been raised in such a beautiful county, and I’ve always taken pride in describing Sonoma County as inclusive and community driven. The more I think about it, though, how can I say we are a county of inclusiveness and equality when not everyone is able to afford to live here?
I’ve had plenty of friends who have had to pack up their things and move away from their home base because they can’t afford to live here anymore, and I see myself having to make that difficult choice soon as well. If we continue to be kicked out of our own county, then who will be left?
EMILIA SIDES
Healdsburg
Another tax vote
EDITOR: Regarding the Sonoma Valley Hospital property tax measure on the June 6 ballot, I’m curious: If the measure passes, since it just got rejected a few months ago, does this mean it becomes a tie, and we have to vote again to break it?
ED SHOOP
Sonoma
Dealing with landlords
EDITOR: After my retirement as director of the Alaska Public Housing Agency, my wife and I moved to Santa Rosa, arriving as renters while searching to buy a home.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
