Shootings, beatings and thefts: the headlines from the Town of Ferriday lately might as well have come from a large, metropolitan area.

Violent crime has marred the town’s reputation lately, and rightfully so.

Crime has become way too prevalent in Ferriday, especially this early in the summer season.

Most law enforcement officers will tell you that violent crimes generally rise along with the mercury inside the thermometer.

With that logic, we fear more violence may be ahead if something isn’t done soon to curtail the problems.

Ferriday is not a bad place, filled with bad people. Ferriday just has a few bad seeds that are making the place unsafe for the majority of its law-abiding residents.

The long-term solution seems simple: arrest the few thugs there and lock them up for a long, long time.

The short-term solution is going to require lots of cooperation. The Ferriday Police Department needs help.

They need help from the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office to increase patrols through the area.

They need help from the town leaders, who need to work quickly to free up as much money as necessary to put more officers on the streets and equip them with the best equipment and training available.

And, finally, they need help from each law-abiding citizen of Ferriday to be their eyes and ears on the street. Too often some people just look the other way when they see crime or suspicious acts.

Helping rid your town of crime is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s your duty.

If you are not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.