Dear Editor:

While many are eager to put the shameful incidents of June 3, 2020, behind us, we must still address a couple of issues. First, what does it say about our relationship to the Forks Police Department that no one, including an elected City Council member, thought to call them during this? Did they feel the department was not up to the task of interviewing a family consisting of a grandma, two parents, and a 16-year-old? Did the perps feel they have special skills not possessed by FPD? the whole incident is a slap in the face of law enforcement, and a good reminder that we hire and train people for a reason.

Secondly, published reflections on this incident by local religious leaders could do much to heal the wounds caused by those who strayed and to those who suffered. Lev. 9:33-34 (essentially, do not wrong the stranger, for we have been strangers too), Matthew 25: 31-40 (…I was a stranger and you welcomed me) and the parable of the Good Samaritan (Shout out to our Four Spartans who came to the rescue) come to mind immediately. I am saddened by the apparent silence of the religious community and hope that will change soon.

Bill Woods