Deborah J. Rumsley wrote to me about my column today on a laborer city cops searched at Zeskind's Hardware store and then let go after finding no drugs. The column was not meant to determine whether the cops were right or wrong in their stop, but to point out the futility of the way we're fighting a drug war.

The man stopped was clean, at least at that moment, and was a good customer for a hardware store struggling to survive. As I pointed out, the store owner and the residents need the cops to be aggressive and fight crime, but it sometimes comes at a cost. Ms. Rumsley gave me permission to post her email, which highlights the difficulties faced by good citizens:

I go to Mr Ricks for almost all of my "hardware" needs, in fact when my husband & I replaced the windows in our home last year Mr Rick had the best deal we could find, & yes we know the neighborhood, we have lived here in this area for all of the 34 years we have been married. I am glad he has the "good" terms with the Police, I wish our street did!

That being said,we live in Southern Police District's sector 3, & I wish the cops would
jack up" some of the ones on the corners near my home, 24 hours a day 7 days a week we have the hookers & dope dealers/ users hanging RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM A POLICE CAMERA!!!!

The corner of Wilkens Av & South Mount [the South East corner near the little carry out] is loaded daily, yet we never see a cop "jack up" anyone.

I personally wrote a letter to the Police Commissioner last Nov. & for about 2 weeks I had all sorts of Police presence, now though things are back to normal, the little dopers ... run the "product" up & down the alley to the corner I mentioned & the deals are done, the prostitutes sit or stand on the corner & men pick them up where they then drive to either the area near Carroll Park, or the dead end of South Gilmor & "do the deed".

There are a number of illegal activities that continue here from loose cigarettes being sold in one of the bars to a number of so called business running dope & one bar selling liquor to minors!

I don't call the police anymore, I called about a hooker on my front steps & the cops who responded told her it was me, she came after me & told me she was going to beatt the hell out of me, when I stood my ground she backed down, but the mirror on my old car got broken off, think there's a connection? I do!

Just last week the undercover cops did "nab" someone, my husband who works the 3 to 11 shift was pulled over by plain clothes cops, on his way home from work, because he went around a car to go through the intersection at Wilkens & S Fulton, the cop told him he couldn't do that, something EVERY one who doesn't want to turn onto S Fulton does!!!

Perhaps you should come into Southern District sector 3 we have lots & lots of crime you can write about!