P stands for prevention

So, they want a sales tax to fight crime, hmmm? They'd better think consolidation first, as we say in our editorial today. They also won't get my vote until a whole lot of the money is set aside for prevention - mental health care specifically. I cannot get excited about hiring more cops when I see them stripping the county's mental health care. We don't have enough money to treat mental health problems when they are small, but we call a press conference when it's time to hire more cops to slap people who become severely ill in jail. Where was the press conference for a mental health sales tax? The jail is one very expensive and lousy substitute for mental health care and Sheriff Margaret Mims will be the first one to tell you that.

If they want to raise taxes to prevent crime, support mental health care and treat drug addicts with proven programs that actually work, well then I'm listening.

Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer was playing with his alliteration during the press conference, saying this isn't panic; it's planning. Let's have one more P - prevention!