“If there was ever a doubt about the need to invest in law enforcement in our community, the events of the past week provide some perspective. In particular, the death of NAS Whidbey’s Scott Kinkele in a senseless drive-by shooting on Highway 20 hits us hard. It hits hard, because by all accounts Kinkele was a remarkable young man – an Annapolis graduate, a mountain climber, a marathon runner. It hits hard, because Kinkele was already distinguishing himself as a tremendous asset to the Navy. It hits hard, because Scott Kinkele, a young man with a bright future, was stationed on Whidbey Island for a brief training. He was our guest. He died in a random act of violence, right here in our quiet, beautiful corner of northwest Washington.That’s hard to accept. We take pride in the peacefulness of our community. Many of us moved here to escape the crime of larger cities. We shake our heads at reports of road rage on the highways around Seattle. We watch the Seattle news shows and read the Seattle papers with a sense of relief that the crime which plagues the heavily populated metro areas hasn’t spread our way. We’ve left the rat race behind, and we’re glad.In the aftermath of the death of Scott Kinkele, we turn to law enforcement to bring back a sense of order to our community. The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office arrested three young Anacortes men in connection with Kinkele’s death. Criminal investigators and the justice system will tell us what happened. In the meantime, local residents are standing up for the kind of community they want to live in.On Tuesday night, Oak Harbor residents gathered at City Beach Park and Coupeville residents marched in a town parade as part of National Night Out. In Oak Harbor, police, firefighters, the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Security Police Department and community groups were on hand with crime and drug awareness information. NAS Whidbey’s Search and Rescue team flew over Oak Harbor, demonstrating air rescue techniques. In Coupeville, the Night Out parade included police, sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, ambulances, Red Cross volunteers and more. All told, more than 1,000 people flocked to these events. In its 17th year, National Night Out is designed to strengthen neighborhood spirit and build police-community partnerships. It’s much more than just a chance to turn on flashing lights and sirens. Night Out is an opportunity to stand up for the kind of community we all want to live in – a peaceful community where acts of violence are not acceptable. That’s what we wish we could have offered Scott Kinkele and his family. “