To those annexed area residents who complain there are too many police officers in your “safe” neighborhoods: Please educate yourself.

There are eight patrol districts in Kirkland. Kirkland Police patrol officers are each assigned to a district and during their shifts, they are to proactively patrol their districts.  For those officers assigned to the annexed area, they are also trying to get to know the neighborhood streets, residents and businesses.

There may be crimes/incidents that you just are not aware of.  In addition to major crimes, police also must respond to calls such as (false) alarm, welfare check, suspicious activity, domestic violence, child abuse, neighbors dispute, theft, and most of the time, they must respond to the scene with two or more officers.

You may not be used to seeing officers patrolling your neighborhoods as often when you were in unincorporated King County, but you are now City of Kirkland residents, you are getting better police service and response.

Unless you have something to hide or you are a criminal, why would you be against officers doing their job, patrolling your neighborhoods? Would you rather the officers just sit in the police station, and then get in their patrol vehicles, wasting precious time driving from downtown Kirkland to you when you need their assistance? I don’t think so.

So stop complaining, instead, thank the officers for doing their job well, serving and protecting you.

Annie Mathews, Kirkland