A cop's view from skid row

I AM THE CAPTAIN for the LAPD's Central Division, which encompasses downtown and all of skid row. Like the police officers who patrol skid row, I was sorely disappointed by Ramona Ripston's complete distortion — in a column on this page — of our efforts to stem the lawlessness, suffering and human misery that was commonplace on skid row just a few months ago.

By Andrew Smith

March 27, 2007