It was with relief that Yellowknifers greeted the news that the police had made arrests in response to recent outbursts of street violence.

It is also reassuring to hear that the arrests were made in part because of the co-operation of people who came forward with information. Remember whom the streets of Yellowknife belong to -- you. While police have a job to do, keeping streets safe is not their responsibility alone.

This isn't about vigilantes. It's about people doing their best to keep their streets liveable.

The experience of other cities that have endured episodes of street violence is that the most effective deterrent is people. Keeping the downtown core of a city alive and vibrant is the key to making it safe. When people use the streets, shop in the stores, eat in the restaurants, and enjoy sidewalk cafes trouble stays away.

City planners should keep this in mind when issuing building permits and business licences. Developments should be designed with pedestrians in mind. Adequate space should be alloted to retailers and restaurants.

The family-oriented First Night celebrations that take place in cities across the country on New Year's Eve are an example of the power of people to reclaim their cities for themselves.

The Take Back the Night march is another example of people making the streets safe simply by being there.

Taking police out of the patrol cars and putting them on the beat re-enforces the point that popular streets are safe streets.

People shouldn't take the law into their own hands. Some things are best left to the police. But people can demonstrate that the law works by exercising their right to be in public.

The atmosphere of fear that these punks have created is unwarranted. Get out there and enjoy Yellowknife.

To abandon the streets to those who would wreak havoc is to surrender.

Environmental health officers are certainly doing the right thing by raising their profile, but we're still scratching our heads wondering why they didn't make this move a long time ago.

Lucky for us Yellowknife isn't very big and many residents know whom to turn to when they are bitten by a dog or suspect raw sewage is spilling somewhere it shouldn't be. Either we're lucky or we have one heck of a government department referral service.

It's crucial for any organization or government department that deals with the public to have staff that are approachable and visible. Having contact with the public will better allow health officers to gather information in the cause of ensuring our community is a healthy place in which to live.

Now that we have re-established the lowly jackfish as a premier gamefish and main course, it is time to turn our attention to that other vastly under-rated natural resource, Corvus corax or, more commonly, the raven.

In a world where southern sportsmen bid thousands of dollars for permission to bombard mountain goats, surely there must be some serious revenue to be earned from ravens.

If nothing else, Yellowknife should consider starting an Edgar Allen Poe festival now that Caribou Carnival is nevermore.