Meridian Police Department was thrust into the national spotlight this past week after a woman wanted out of Louisiana was discovered in the Queen City.

In a story that has since made national news, Aaliyah Jack, 25, faces charges of failure to report a missing child, cruelty to a juvenile and second-degree murder after the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office pulled the body of a 4-year-old boy from a lake Monday. The day after, officers recovered his 1-year-old brother from the side of a highway, miraculously unharmed.

Jack, who had last been seen with both children, was spotted by Union Station Tuesday and arrested by Meridian officers familiar with the BOLO (Be on the lookout) that had been issued to help track her down.

Calcasieu Sheriff Gary Guillory praised Meridian’s finest saying the department had “bent over backward” to assist his deputies in their investigation.

Guillory’s comments have since been shared throughout the country, highlighting the efforts of Meridian officers in bringing Jack to justice.

Praise for this one event, however, falls short of the mark, and MPD deserves further accolades for the progress it has made as a department.

That the Meridian Police Department of three years ago, when Chief Deborah Young first took the helm, would have the organization and drive to remember the BOLO, make the arrest and coordinate the pending extradition is implausible. It goes to show how far the department has come in such a short time.

MPD as a whole is more cohesive and the “everyone for themselves” climate has been replaced by the confidence of a team effort.

Is there still work to go? Absolutely, and city residents should hold their elected officials accountable to ensure that it gets done.

The department still has multiple officer vacancies that need to be filled. The young force needs time and training to rebuild the expertise that has been lost through retirements and attrition. Increased transparency is also sorely needed.

There is certainly room for improvement, but MPD is a far cry from where it was just a few short years ago. The events of this past week show how far the department has come, and the recognition the department has received is much deserved.