Law enforcement center crucial for properly trained police

I appreciate former Congresswoman Carolyn Bourdeaux’s excellent article on the importance of supporting the building of the law enforcement training center, which has been a concept long in the planning by Atlanta’s leadership. She clearly articulated the need to properly train police, which is exactly what metro Atlanta needs.

Ironically, poorly trained, underpaid police often are entangled in situations that lead to tragedy, often in underserved communities of color.

She also wonders why the energy of the protesters is not focused on so many other critical problems in our state that are not being addressed powerfully enough: the proliferation of illegal guns in our communities, the lack of health coverage for so many Georgians, the closing down of hospitals around the state, etc., etc.

As to the police training center, dear Atlantans, I would like to point out an analogy: if you needed surgery, would you want a surgeon whose skills had gotten rusty or the best-trained surgeon possible?

SALPI ADROUNY, M.D., JOHNS CREEK

Benefits of military service follow for lifetime

All of the military service branches are having difficulty recruiting new members. Why should a young man or woman consider joining any military branch?

Would Americans be as fascinated with guns if they learned how to shoot as well as anyone else in the world? Or fired weapons others have never seen? If you had handled dynamite, would you be fascinated with fireworks? Would it be fun to get in shape and learn fitness habits for life? And do something that distinguishes you for the rest of your life? And become lifelong friends with some of America’s greatest citizens? Learn to force yourself to do something you don’t want to do?

Might those experiences influence opportunities for the rest of your life? Would you regret not doing it? Or would you rather just get out of school and go work for the man? Or go to law school and Congress?

DANIEL F. KIRK, KENNESAW

Keep Reading

DeKalb School Board Chair Deirdre Pierce (left) and other board members vote to make Norman Sauce III acting superintendent Oct. 15, 2025. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Featured

Corbin Spencer, right, field director of New Georgia Project and volunteer Rodney King, left, help Rueke Uyunwa register to vote. The influential group is shutting down after more than a decade. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2017)

Credit: Hyosub Shin