Murfreesboro police investigators did a pitifully poor job in working the accident in which an 11-year-old girl was killed when struck by a Rutherford County Sheriff’s patrol car.
Witnesses who should have been heard were not, evidence that should have been collected was not, basic procedures that should have been followed were not.
The failures of the investigators on the case harm the reputation and performance of a generally excellent police force and comes at a critical time when trusting relationships between police and citizens is absolutely necessary and valuable.
The damage from the investigators’ shortcomings will be a burden for the city police for a long time.
Administrators are dealing with those shortcomings and disciplining those involved.
Unfortunately, for the department and the community it serves the cost of this breach of trust will take way too long to pay.
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The matriarch of a Murfreesboro family with a deep and wide record of service to this community died last week when Mabel Pittard passed away at the age of 97.
She was the widow of Dr. Homer Pittard, a renowned educator and county historian for whom Homer Pittard Campus School is named, and the mother of the late John Pittard, a longtime City Councilman and city school board member for whom John Pittard Elementary School is named.
And, Mrs. Pittard was renowned in the community for her own efforts as a longtime school teacher and for helping and then carrying on Dr. Pittard’s work in recording our community’s history.
The Pittard name is stamped into the history of this community literally and figuratively as well it should be.
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Voter turnout for Thursday’s county general and state and federal primaries hit a historic low with less than 9 percent of eligible voters participating.
Four years ago the same election cycle saw a meager 13 percent voter participation that seemed likely at the time to set a low standard, but sadly that did not hold up.
Certainly, Thursday’s turnout was impacted negatively by only one contested county school board race, as those campaigns tend to attract significant interest.
But, the two countywide office races were certainly robust with one incumbent holding on by a small margin and another defeated, a most rare development.
And, several contested primary races for state assembly seats were on the ballot.
Even with easy early voting options, participation in the election was dismal and should be a cause of concern for the community.
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