I’m writing in response to the letter by Tony Puma (“Why so many officers with a low crime rate?” April 17). If you base your facts on what you read in the police blotter alone (as stated in the letter), then you’re seeing only a small fraction of what the officers on Bainbridge Island are doing on a daily basis.

I am interested in law enforcement as a career and have spent countless hours riding with our officers and listening to my personal scanner. What the citizens of the community are reading in the blotter is the type of 911 calls are reported to the police.

Citizens are not taking into account that officers are “working the road” for a large majority of their shifts – doing traffic stops, stopping speeders and reckless drivers, including around schools. The officers are also patrolling the city, talking with local residents, doing traffic control, etc.

One of the reasons Bainbridge has a relatively low crime rate is because we have a competent police department that is always in view patrolling around the island. Many times I have heard on the scanner and seen police officers stop situations from happening before someone had the chance to call 911 to report it.

I don’t know where Mr. Puma got his statistics regarding the number of officers employed by the city, but he failed to realize that many of the city’s officers are not on regular patrol. That number [currently 25 are filling 29 active positions] includes detectives, reserve and parking enforcement officers and the harbormaster.

I do understand his point regarding tax dollars, but I felt the need to rebut this issue and expose the claim that Bainbridge employs more officers than necessary.

Next time you call 911 for a law enforcement related issue and you want the officers to respond in a quick, efficient manner, then just take a step back and be thankful that you have multiple officers on duty who can help assist you.

Matt Johanson

Rolling Bay