Many in our community are greatly concerned about the large number of faculty departures.This is a very legitimate concern . Yet there is a problem in Hattiesburg much more serious and potentially deadly. Our police officers are leaving in droves. Many of the most experienced and most dedicated have moved to other jobs,in most cases taking substantial pay cuts. By and large they are people who have left because of the terrible leadership of the police chief and the mayor. Unlike many USM faculty members,they haven't gone to a better paying job,but instead have left an intolerable work enviornment. to work for less money. The sad thing is that the mayor and his allies have played the race card in an effort to save a police chief considered incompetent by many of his own officers. The even sadder thing is that local faculty members are prominent members of the mayor's team.