Wednesday’s meeting between Beaumont Street residents and city and county officials was a good start to solving a complicated and potentially deadly problem.

The area has become a haven of crime lately and, sadly, residents — even the law-abiding ones — are leery of stepping forward and helping police do their jobs. Their hesitancy is understandable as the criminals who they would be fighting against have no scruples and no fear for taking human lives.

That’s evident in the two recent drive-by shootings committed on the street.

This week’s meeting included discussion of several options for fighting the criminal element including going after the owners whose property seems at the center of the crimes.

Another option, which may not be popular among some, is to simply be a little more aggressive in policing the area. As Natchez Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis said, the goal shouldn’t be police harassment or profiling, but something must be done.

“I’m to the point where somebody needs to start harassing somebody. Do you want to bury folks, or do you want to harass some people?”

Her comment pointed to the gravity of the situation.

Cleaning up Beaumont Street is certainly possible and quickly, but it will take all of our community’s leaders sticking with it in order to take back an area from the local thugs.

Mayor Butch Brown said at Wednesday’s meeting, “Dirty people don’t like clean places.”

It’s time to start cleaning up Beaumont Street.

Wednesday’s meeting was a first step, but many more will be required.