By big-city standards, even when our community is at its worst, the Miss-Lou is still massively safe.

Armed robberies, carjackings and home burglaries are not exactly the kind of things anyone wants to hear going on in their communities, but unfortunately at least one instance of these crimes has occurred in the past few weeks here in the Miss-Lou.

It’s an unfortunate fact that much of our crime stems from the use and sale of illegal drugs.

And despite our law enforcement officers’ best efforts, they simply cannot be everywhere all the time.

The solution is for citizens to not be afraid to take back their neighborhoods by being alert and reporting suspicious behavior.

Last week more than 200 locals gathered to celebrate the annual National Night Out program. Such awareness programs are among the best ways to give law enforcement officers extra help.

All too often, when residents see something suspicious they either pass it off as their imagination saying it’s “probably nothing” or they simply look the other way and say “it’s none of my business.”

That kind of thinking costs us thousands of dollars in lost or damaged property each year and can — in some cases — cause injury or even death to crime victims. If you live here and are not of the criminal mind, then reporting something that looks fishy is, in fact, your business. Actually, it’s not just your business; it’s your responsibility as a citizen to help.

Fortunately, our crime rates in this part of the world remain relatively low.

Yes, the Miss-Lou is a safe place to live, but imagine how much more safe it would be if everyone kept their eyes peeled and didn’t hesitate to call in the law when they see something that looks amiss.