To our alarm, Asheville — for the second year in a row — is nearly matching a 10-year-high in violent crimes. And it appears the situation will get worse, possibly much worse, with no end in sight.

It is perhaps ironic that a leafy, historic and artisan-oriented city featuring charming art deco architecture is so quickly transforming from what has been — since the early 1900s — dubbed “the Paris of the South” to — tragically and more accurately (if trends continue) — “the Detroit of the South.”

Detroit, Mich., is No. 1 on the list of “the most dangerous cities in the United States” for 2021, according to worldpopulationreview.com.

While Asheville has a long way to go to surpass Detroit, it surely is well along on the path.

Tragically, the Asheville Police Department continues to hemorhage sworn officers and — with no end in sight for turnover and little interest by prospects to join a force facing a “defund the police” movement extending to the top ranks of city leadership — recently announced a decision to no longer respond to certain crime calls, saying the move would help it improve its response to 911 calls.

Given that much of Asheville’s economy runs off tourism and it has an extraordinary draw as a retirement destination, along with public safety concerns of the citizens, it’s time for the taxpayers to band together to pressure or replace City Council.