To the editor:

Richard Gwin’s photograph (Journal-World, Feb. 7) not only depicted the crime scene in the alley behind the Granada but also subtly illustrated an underlying cause of – or at least a contributing factor to – the rampant increase in scofflaws in Lawrence. The fliers posted on the utility pole in the photo foreground are in violation of a city ordinance, but when was the last time that ordinance was enforced?

Small matter, you say? Ignoring that law because it is not enforced emboldens us to ignore other laws, and we soon discover that there are likewise no consequences for camping on the sidewalk in front of Weaver’s, for parking automobiles in residential front yards, for renting single-family houses to more than three unrelated tenants, for running yellow and red traffic signals, and so on up the line.

Combine our long history of laxity of enforcement with the almost-complete transformation of downtown Lawrence from a retail center to an Aggieville and I can only be surprised at Commissioner Mike Rundle’s being surprised that a partygoer was shot dead on Massachusetts Street (Journal-World, Feb. 6).

Bill Mitchell,

Lawrence