West Lake Hills and Rollingwood residents are aware that they are well protected and served by their respective police departments, and the low crime rate is a testament to that high level of service. Few other cities in the state are fortunate enough to have a police officer covering areas that are less than half that of larger cities. A story on page two about a virtually crime-free, two-month period in Rollingwood is an indication of just how good these departments are.

Part of the reason for the success rate is the pride within the departments. The not-on-my watch attitude is evidenced by the constant police presence in neighborhoods, 24 hours a day. Residents don’t hesitate to call their police departments when they are preparing to go on vacation and request “close patrols.” Reportedly, they usually find a sympathetic ear and a positive response from the officer or dispatcher who answers the call.

Another part of the equation is that area residents keep their eyes open to any suspicious activity in their neighborhoods and report them promptly. Fortunately, police officers consider these conscientious neighbors allies in the battle against crime and try to respond quickly. Sometimes the mere police presence is enough to scare would-be criminals away.

Yet another important ingredient in the success rate is a history of city councils in both cities that understand the importance of at least making an effort to pay police officers a salary that is competitive with larger departments. Otherwise, these cities would be nothing more than a training ground for officers who would be moving on as soon as they were up to speed. A story on the front page about Chief Cliff Spratlan’s effort to do just that in West Lake Hills is food for thought. We hope city councils in both of these communities will continue to understand the importance of keeping good officers by paying them good wages.