With the rash of shootings that occurred last week, the total number of times the Franklin Police Department has been called in 2017 for a report of shots fired now stands at 71. That is a ridiculous number of incidents for any community, but even more so for a city slightly over eight square miles in size with barely 8,000 residents.

Thanks to outstanding training and leadership, Franklin’s woefully understaffed police department has done a tremendous job in avoiding an officer involved shooting. But at this rate, it may only be a matter of time.

Every time the department is called to investigate a shooting incident, officers are responding to a scene where there is a gun. In too many other communities across the country, officers have had to come face to face with a perpetrator willing to shoot at them. We pray that our good fortune in this regard continues.

If we want to rid our community of this behavior, it is incumbent upon members of the community to cooperate with the police. All too often, even the victims of gun violence themselves refuse to cooperate with investigators who are attempting to identify the perpetrators. Refusing to cooperate helps keep thugs with guns on the street and puts lives at risk. If you see something, say something. The very life you save may be your own.