Police think La Crosse courts soft on crime

Is La Crosse too soft on crime? That accusation is being renewed by some police brass. It is nothing new. Police work hard to arrest the bad guys, then become dismayed when they see those same bad guys out on the street the next day. Judges seek to strike a balance between protecting the community and protecting taxpayers, often opting for things like ankle bracelets or day reporting to reduce the very expensive cost of incarceration. That often frustrates police who keep arresting the same people. A look at the court calender shows a lot of frequent offenders, getting in trouble again because the courts keep letting them go. It seems the frustration among police is rising to new levels. Assistant Chief Rob Abraham told WIZM this week that he thinks our current system of justice likes to hug and coddle the drug dealers. He argues that we should treat drug dealers different from drug users. Many agree we are unnecessarily clogging our courts with those who use drugs, but we should throw the book at those who are dealing drugs. It is hard to ignore the ongoing threat of meth and heroin in our community. He argues, correctly, that few would shed a tear if we lock up those who are peddling the poison. He thinks La Crosse has a reputation as being soft on crime, and dealers know that, so they target our community. It is natural that law enforcement and the justice system have different approaches to the problem. But it would be good for a healthy discussion between the two, to try to get a little closer to being on the same page.