Candidates for Meridian municipal offices fielded questions from the community Wednesday at a candidate forum put on the NAACP. Unsurprisingly, one of the hot-button issues was the city’s problem with violent crime and what the city official hopefuls plan to do about it.

 

Overwhelmingly, increased investment in Meridian Police Department proved to be the candidates’ preferred answer, but law enforcement alone will not get the job done. Meridian police officers are hardworking, dedicated and effective at taking criminals off the street, addressing the root of the city’s crime problem will require much, much more.

 

As with many societal issues, there is no silver bullet, no magic pill to end crime. Poverty, addiction, a lack of upward mobility, limited transportation and so many other factors contribute to the equation, and addressing crime will also require addressing them.

 

Fortunately, there are organizations in our community that are already working to combat some of these issues. Nonprofits such as The Salvation Army, Wesley House, L.O.V.E.’S. and Multi-County Community Service Agency perform nothing short of miracles with the range of programs and assistance they provide to those in need.

 

Groups like the Carter Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi and Project Inspire also play a huge role providing healthy activities, mentorship and guidance to hundreds of young people throughout the community.

 

Numerous other organizations, nonprofits and civic clubs are also involved in working with youth, combating violence and providing necessities for those who can’t afford them. All of these groups are hands-on, in the community every day working to make our city safer and provide opportunities for our young people.

 

Law enforcement is part of the answer, but try as we might, we can’t arrest poverty or incarcerate drug addiction, and our judicial system isn’t in the business of bringing hundreds of well-paying jobs to town. Government as a whole is far too cumbersome and slow to act to tackle our city’s crime problem on its own. It is, however, well suited to assist those in the community already working toward solutions by providing resources, fostering connections and enacting sensible policy when needed.

 

We encourage candidates to begin building those relationships now and, after the election, bring the community together, pool resources and work to bring a lasting solution to crime.