Tyrus Byrd is the new mayor of Parma, Mo.
She’s the town’s first African-American female mayor.
She also is having to start governing without the aid of some senior city officials and some police officers, who quit shortly after Byrd took office.
http://www.kfvs12.com/Clip/11389937/some-police-city-officials-resign-after-new-parma-mayor-elected#.VTQ3WwbrBpI.twitter
What gives here? What in the world did the new mayor say during her campaign that would cause such a tempest?
And is it fair to ask if the issues are related mainly — if not exclusively — to the race of the new mayor?
There. I’ve just asked it.
Good question. One has to wonder about the motivation involved in the resignations. Then again, one has to wonder about the qualifications of six police officers in a town of 740 people. Six? I grew up in a community with a similar population and we had no police force. Sheriff’s department or the Highway patrol took of us if need be.
I’d say good riddance regardless of their reasons. The city can save money by not using a local police force that, in my opinion, is unnecessary.
It appears to be a sad commentary.
Well, we know that the town in general is not racist. It has a 67% white population. We also don’t know the area the police had to cover or whether there was a police station that needed to be manned. And finally, according to city-data.com, for 2012, the last year stats are available for, Parma’s violent crime rate is 3 times the average of the US. Also, the violent crime rate is up almost 900% in 10 years, again using city-data.com info.