Issue 4 backed by police chiefs
On Nov. 3, voters will be given the opportunity to show their concern for Portage County's youngest residents by supporting Renewal Issue 4. Passage of this issue, which would renew the county's child welfare levy and provide funding for ithe county's Children Services agency, will help protect our most vulnerable from sexual and physical abuse and neglect.
As a police officer in this county for 30 years, I have come to rely on the caseworkers from Children Services for help investigating cases of child abuse and neglect. In addition to this important task, this agency also provides parent coaching and emergency services to families in crises. Furthermore, through its locating and licensing of foster homes, more than 200 children are placed each year in a safe and stable environment. Thousands of children have been served by this levy since it first was passed in 1985.
Continuing the services provided through this levy is vitally important to children and to society, now and in the future. It is well-documented that children whose at-risk mothers and fathers do not receive parenting education are much more likely to be abused or neglected than those whose parents have been helped with these skills. While most victimized children never become violent criminals, being severely abused or neglected can lead to permanent changes in children's developing brains. Some children have trouble learning empathy, while others develop a predisposition for misinterpreting the actions of others and reacting violently. These changes sharply increase the risk that these children will grow up to be arrested for a violent crime.
Passage of this issue, which is not a new tax, allows voters to truly invest in our future. In light of the importance of this issue, the Portage County Police Chiefs Association unanimously supports Renewal Issue 4. Please give your assistance and support to the children in our county by voting for this important levy.
Seth Riewaldt
President
Portage County Police Chiefs Association
(Riewaldt is chief of the Aurora Police Department.)