Police shouldn't wait to alert the public when someone is targeted by — or victimized by — a scam. When one person is targeted, there is a good chance others will be, especially if the public isn't aware of the scam.

Based on a report from Middlesex Township police earlier this month, Butler County residents had the opportunity to be aware of what is referred to by some as the "grandparent scam" or the "bail scam."

The scam involves making a victim think a grandchild is in trouble and needs money for bail and/or legal fees. The caller asks the grandparent to wire a sum of money, which, unfortunately, one grandfather in the county did in December, losing nearly $5,000 in the process.

Fortunately, a Middlesex Township couple didn't fall victim to the scam earlier this month, which, had they complied with the caller's request, could have cost them $1,000 or more.

All police who consider the well-being of the public by reporting such information to the press, rather than just processing the case or cases they were called to investigate — and beyond that doing nothing to alert the public — are fulfilling their duty "to protect and serve."

The "grandparent scam" must be allowed no more successes in this county.

Now that the fate of NBC's "Tonight" show has been decided, at least for now, the attention of millions of people across the country can refocus on more serious issues than late-night television.Conan O'Brien's final "Tonight" show aired Friday, and former "Tonight" host Jay Leno will return on March 1. O'Brien will be free to begin another television job as early as September; in the meantime, he won't be hurting financially, since he is receiving $33 million as part of his "good night" to NBC.The remaining $12 million of the $45 million buyout deal will be distributed as severance to O'Brien's staff.All of the attention that NBC's late-night plight has attracted in recent weeks has made it appear to be a critical national incident. Unfortunately, it can be presumed that more people have intently followed developments regarding "Tonight" than have sought new information in the case involving the man who tried to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner Christmas Day — an incident that endangered more than 300 lives.Spending decisions continue to be made across the wide business spectrum that includes entertainment, but people are justified in pondering how much good that $45 million being spent to put the O'Brien-Leno saga to rest might have done helping earthquake-ravaged Haiti and its needy people.NBC should try to find out — by directing $45 million to the earthquate-relief effort now under way.

Butler County Sheriff Mike Slupe, who took office Jan. 4, is starting his new duties on the right foot by giving the issue of unserved warrants a high priority.While the Sheriff's Office's first responsibility is serving the county courts and their schedules, the matter of unserved warrants is not a matter to be regarded lightly.Slupe could have delayed an emphasis on the nearly 1,300 current outstanding warrants until he had more time to evaluate the total workings of his new office, but it's commendable that he chose not to opt for that approach."When there is downtime and when there are deputies available, we'll be pursuing these warrants," Slupe said.That doesn't mean it will be possible, even with a concerted effort, to serve all of the warrants in question. Some of the individuals for whom warrants have been issued are no doubt living outside the county, maybe not even in this part of the country, which will make it difficult and/or not cost effective for them to be actively pursued.However, if Slupe takes this project seriously, he should be able to make significant inroads regarding reducing the length of the outstanding-warrants list.In recent years, people have questioned the size of the county's deputy sheriff roster and the size of the deputies' workload because, in some instances in and around the Government Center, it appeared that some deputies had little to do.The number of unserved warrants shows there is plenty for the deputies to do, when they are not actually serving the courts or on Government Center or courthouse security details.Slupe should periodically report to the public on the number of warrants served and the total number that remain unserved, including the number of new warrants that have been issued by the courts.Those reports will help give the public a better understanding of the work and challenges that the sheriff and his staff face.