Laurie McDowell: N&O shows service to readers

Regarding the investigative series “Deadly force”: Thank you for this excellent yet horrifying report on abuse of power in Harnett County. It is almost beyond belief that a law enforcement agency can yield so much power in North Carolina in 2016.

Law enforcement is tasked with enforcement, not coercion, not creating its own laws.

Many of us complain about the sad state of newspapers, and I have been disappointed in the shrinkage of The N&O since moving to Raleigh only 18 months ago. However, investigative reporting such as this is crucial to our communities. Surely changes will be made in Harnett County due to this report. Keep up the good work!

This story was originally published May 7, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Laurie McDowell: N&O shows service to readers."