Falls City Calls For Effective Counter-Measures To Crime

FALLS CITY – Bob Witt encouraged a crowd of over 200 people to stay alert and united to prevent crime and improve the safety of Falls City and neighboring communities, but Tuesday’s Take Back Our Community meeting also including warnings about extreme citizen action. There was mention of a 1981 killing of a bully in Skidmore, Mo., and  the arrest of man last week after a bloody confrontation in Salem, Neb. The gathering was told that although they have rights to bear arms and protect their property, there can be extreme consequences to using force. Chief of Police Duane Armbruster was asked to respond to a comment about using violence against people perceived to have criminal intent. Armbruster: “In order to use force against anyone you have to feel threatened. You can’t just take something into your own hands because somebody is stealing or something.” Witt encouraged people to attend court hearings, learn about obstacles faced by probation and law enforcement and be willing to unite with all Nebraskans to lobby the state Legislature for effective counter-measures to crime.