Mother Thanks Chief Monroe

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

As a resident of Church Hill, I am glad former Police Chief Rodney Monroe got the Church Hill Boyz Gang out of here before he left. The three-year investigation was well worth it. Those thugs have a long time to sit in jail. And they aren't going to be very happy when they get out.

I wish I had the courage to do the right thing and snitch to get those thugs out of here but I couldn't do that to my family. My son is too young to get his throat cut. This is the same thing that happened a few weeks ago to a 14-year-old boy, Deshaun Taylor. He got caught in gunfire just walking to the store, probably for bread and milk for his mama. I am pretty sure she buried him in Charlotte. I had to bury my daughter when she was only eight days old. No one should have to bury a child. It is the saddest feeling and the pain never goes away.

Things need to change. It's not a white thing or a black thing. It is a respect thing. We as a whole society need a lot of prayers.

Kim Phillips. Sandston.