The Waianae Coast community, with every justification, is calling for aid to fend off the crimes that have erupted, culminating with two violent deaths last week. One involved police shooting a man officers said was brandishing a knife; another ended with the shooting of an innocent bystander, killed by a stray bullet.

Residents maintain that increased police presence would help. Perhaps some of the $1 million in redeployed federal COVID funds now earmarked for police could flow to the West Side.