For dozens of good, honest, law-abiding citizens of the Roselawn subdivision, their neighborhood must seem infested.

In just a few short years, the once peaceful neighborhood has become a scary place in which to live as drug dealers and other criminal cockroaches crept in and took up residence.

The problems started when the abundance of the properties in the neighborhood became rental properties, many of which have absentee owners.

Soon the lack of care for properties created the perfect home for drug dealers and other criminals.

In the last 12 months, the Natchez Police Department has responded to more than 300 criminal incidents in the small neighborhood.

Adams County Supervisor Henry Watts deserves credit for recognizing the problems recently and sounding the alarm.

Watts has vowed to help the law-abiding residents regain their neighborhood from the thugs.

He’s called for help from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Natchez Police, the Natchez mayor and, most importantly, from the Roselawn residents themselves.

The solution to fixing Roselawn will require a multi-pronged approach.

Aggressive law enforcement patrols are a start. But beyond arresting the thugs, citizens must demand maximum sentences from our judges, too.

And, the real key will be when enough citizens stand up and say, “Enough is enough” and vow to not live in fear of their criminal cockroach neighbors.

If citizens join forces with government and law enforcement, Roselawn can be won back.

But everyone must work together and be resolute that the effort will work.