Editor,

In a sneak attack not on the agenda, and despite the mayor’s assurances a week before that the city wasn’t going to act on the proposal for a long time, the council voted to close Seawall Park at night.

The vote was the triumph of irrational fears over fact. The council knew full well that there is no ongoing Seawall Park problem. They knew that a group of residents had diligently combed the park at dawn for a week and never found a needle; that regular morning users of the park, including two city maintenance workers, have never seen a needle. That even the homeless couple who lived under Ott & Murphy’s for three weeks this summer never saw a needle. Even the chief acknowledged there is no current problem.

Councilman Gill “would like to see the ordinance expanded throughout the city and neighborhoods” and to “outlaw loitering.” Seriously? Are we talking a curfew? Why not just go straight to stop-and-frisk? Councilman Gill is displaying a worrisome ignorance. Most loitering laws were dropped decades ago due to their dubious constitutionality. Since our police chief’s Facebook page is littered with gems like comparing the football player protesting police brutality to the would-be bomber in New York, his ability to distinguish lawful from criminal activity is seriously in doubt anyway.

This whole thing reminds me of the Music Man, where a traveling salesmen convinces a town to buy his instruments by making them fearful about what their children are up to. The increasing SWAT team appearance and attitude of our police force is unnecessary and not in our best interest. Can we get back to community policing?

The council is voting on this ordinance at their Oct. 17 meeting. Show up to protest this police power grab.

SHARON EMERSON

Langley