Before I start my little rant I would like to take a trip down memory lane.

It's the early 1940s, my mother has passed away. My father worked and he relied upon his 15-year-old son to get out of bed and go to school. To be perfectly candid my father's son was very unreliable. Mr. Pinckney, the truant officer, walked into my house, made me get out of bed and get dressed. He then drove me to school in a special van provided by the school district. Mr. Pinckney was not a police officer. He was the truant officer.

We the taxpayers have spent thousands of dollars on each individual police officer for specialized training and I feel we've got the best. To demote these individuals to babysitters is demoralizing. I'm confident with a little reflection our mayor and chief of police would come up with a solution. The individuals in question are children, not felons.

Stan Bryant

Auburn