Dear Chief Dekmar,

Thank you for your wonderful (statements in the) article on July 19 (“Chief counters shooting perceptions”).

We, the citizens of LaGrange, are truly grateful to you and to every member of the LaGrange police force! “To protect and defend,” that is your charge.

I am convinced that you do just that! My own son was a police officer. He was proud of what he did. I am proud of him and of each of you.

Yours is a noble calling. You are willing fearlessly to lay your life on the line. Your mere presence in that blue precludes many a violent act. Knowing you are being watchful has undoubtedly kept some young people from committing acts they would surely regret.

Those who do commit these acts are dealt with firmly but also with courtesy and respect. I believe yours is the hope that your intervention will save them for a life of better choices. You are armed with information about the agencies that might help them to make those better choices.

It takes courage and commitment to get up knowing that some very bad guy might cross your path that day. You get up and just do it!

What a gift to us! Thank you.

I feel safe because of you. You are a huge part of what makes this town so special!

Gratefully,

Edna Foster

LaGrange

Editor’s note: Clarifications added in parenthesis.