FOR eight years its peace officers have patrolled Birmingham's troubled streets.
The Haile Selassie Peace Foundation has calmed community tension, built bridges with the police and helped persuade jailed offenders to live law-abiding and valuable lives.
Make no mistake: this organisation is a true 21st century Brummie success story.
The foundation has attracted headlines around the world and its methods have been copied in other countries. Only two years ago it scooped a national award, beating 80 other community groups.
Less than three years ago it was applauded for helping bring calm to Lozells after the riots that rocked the district.
But now this pioneering group faces closure because it has run out of cash.
Birmingham City Council must pull out all the stops to try to find ways of funding the foundation.
It would be a tragedy if the good work done over the past eight years was allowed to unravel through lack of official support.
Our potentially most volatile streets would become a little less safe. And that cannot be allowed to happen.