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It's time for New Boston authorities to get in gear

Monday, August 7, 2006 10:55 PM EDT

My parents' house was one of the houses robbed in the early part of July in New Boston.

Over the past few months, there has been an outbreak of thefts in New Boston in the Oak Street area. Houses have been burglarized, some multiple times, and the perpetrator is becoming more brazen with every break-in.

After a June break-in, Mayor Warren, Village Council members and the police force had nothing to offer but excuses as to why they cannot do anything more about the outbreak of burglaries. There is not enough manpower to conduct good investigations and there is just not enough money in the budget for overtime or additional officers were their reasons more could not be done.

The New Boston police chief does little more than sit behind his desk all day while the village remains under-patrolled because of lack of staff. Rumors of being corrupt surround some individual officers and having connections to the people involved in the recent burglaries.

The citizens of New Boston should be under no illusion that their police force is capable of meeting their expectations of protecting and serving the community in a responsible capacity. The citizens of New Boston deserve more from Village Administration. It is time for the administration and the police department to be held accountable for their lack of oversight and accountability of its budget and officers. The time for excuses is over.

Rodney Fetty

New Boston

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