I have friends who are retired police officers and active officers. The biggest complaint I hear is: The same individuals are arrested time and time again. They do their job and put their life on the line only to be let down by the judicial system, and the guilty are quickly back on the streets.

I cannot tell you how many times I hear or read that people are arrested who have committed the same crime or similar crimes in the past. People are arrested for drunk driving three, four, five or more times, or people are arrested for no license multiple times. or multiple arrests for auto theft or robbery, only to be given another chance. They have no respect for the law. There are no real consequences for the crimes they commit.

Last Thursday, for example, was a Pioneer Press report headlined “Bank robber with gambling addiction given probation.” I quote the article: “The matter occurred less than a year after Hill was sentenced on a theft-by- swindle conviction for embezzling $150,000 from his former employer, HealthEast, authorities say. He received 10 years probation in that case.”

The same individual comes again before the court after robbing three banks and is convicted on two counts of felony-level theft,  He is sentenced to — WOW — three years of probation after a whole 32 days in jail. I guess he really learned his lesson and I am positive he will never offend after such a harsh punishment. How do you think that makes the arresting officers feel?

I say support your local police by enforcing the law and punishing the offenders. Repeat offenders do not deserve a second or third chance. Do the crime and do the time.

Jeffrey Moore, South St. Paul

Divisive screeds

It is common knowledge to those of us who read this paper on a frequent basis that there is a conservative slant to its reporting and opinions. That said, it seems the Pioneer Press has decided to go over the edge, and is now willing to support extreme-right conspiracy theories, as is shown by a full page ad last week. The ad for the book, “Dark Agenda” by David Horowitz, contains over half a dozen bullet points for wild ideas attacking the left for being anti-American and anti-Christianity.

While much of the ad is simply laughable, including the recommendations by such thoughtful critics as Mike Huckabee, Tucker Carlson and Alan Dershowitz, it promotes a book that is designed to further divide the American populace. Do we really need more “if you don’t think like me, you are the enemy” screeds being promoted, especially by the respected local newspaper?

The ad had one positive point, in that I was reminded of the late Lenny Bruce, and his line, “Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God.”

I understand the need to accept ads, both for First Amendment issues and for revenue. If you are going to continue accepting these kinds of ads, maybe you will allow me to ask that you use the revenue gained to hire proofreaders again, who seem to have been missing from the staff. Divide us with these ads, but maybe unite us with a common understanding of the proper use of the language.

Jeff Hepola, Forest Lake