Mark your calendars for Thursday, Oct. 10 at 5:30 p.m. The Vicksburg Police Department will host a town hall at the Robert M. Walker Building boardroom, 1415 Walnut St., to discuss public safety in the city

The Sept. 21 shooting death of Dematric Lamar Clark and Sept. 22 fight on North Frontage Road that ended with two teenagers to Merit Health River Region West Campus with gunshot wounds left our community stunned and asking for answers.

What is the Vicksburg Police doing to curb the apparent crime problem in the town we all call home? What can we do as citizens to stop violent crime?

Online discussion groups like Crime and Discussion in Vicksburg, MS (What’s Really Happening), Vicksburg Crime, Discussion and Community Events and Vicksburg MS News and Views are active groups that discuss this on a regular basis. The forum will give residents an opportunity to ask those on the front line about questions they are already discussing with friends and neighbors.

We encourage citizens to attend the town hall and submit questions for city authorities to answer. Questions must be written and emailed to the Vicksburg Police Department’s Public Information Officer, Capt. Michael Bryant at mikeb@vicksburg.org or mailed to Vicksburg Police Department, 820 Veto St., Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Chief of Police Milton Moore, Deputy Chief Robert Stewart, Deputy Chief Eric Paymon, Capt. Penny Jones and Lt. Johnnie Edwards will answer questions.

Take the time to submit a question and attend the forum. Our neighborhoods, neighbors, children and town are too important to let public safety questions remain unanswered.