It makes me sigh, and shake my head, just thinking about local government officials who maybe haven’t thought about the big picture, which also involves life safety. It angers me a little to hear (“Island County deputies push for more help,” News-Times, Sept. 13) that certain officials think that we only need more public service personnel if the public has an “outcry” for more law enforcement due to an increase in crime. The public feels safe, only because nothing catastrophic has happened yet, but in today’s world, it’s only a matter of time. Unfortunately, we cannot go back in time, but we can plan for the future.

I am employed at Whidbey General Hospital as an EMT, and I am a volunteer firefighter for North Whidbey Fire and Rescue. Being involved in both agencies, I have felt the effects of not having enough law enforcement to support our safety while on scene in an unfamiliar area with questionably unsafe situations due to a deputy being busy with another call.

I am in favor of supporting our local law enforcement, to increase personnel not just for the safety of my co-workers and myself, but for the safety of the ICSO deputies, our families and the public we proudly serve. Think about it.

Steven L. Cope, Jr.

Coupeville