Discuss Tim Rutten's Dec. 3 Op-Ed column
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From the Los Angeles Times
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The article has several issues: First, the author has accepted the fact that there will be fewer officers. We should not have to decide who gets police coverage. This is nothing short of municipal malpractice. Second, Westside residents have every right to ask why their police coverage should be cut. Removing officers will only serve to publically put out the "welcome mat" for criminals. Third, CD5 residents have to wonder why "their" representative, Jack Weiss, would support any plan that would strip police coverage away from "his" constituents. Answer: We just got sold out for WeissÂ’ run for City Attorney.
Concerned in WLA @ 6:02 PM PST, Dec 3, 2008
I agree with both David Berger and david/ 11:13: the city is way under-policed so it's stealing cops from Peter to pay Paul, making the westside justifiably unhappy. Rutten points out that 77th Div has 7X more violent crime but the westside has almost the same # of property crime, which means a possibly armed thief has been on YOUR property and could kill you. -- Bratton and Weiss are right too, cops deployed to most violent areas has meant a reduction in murders/ assaults. ALL COUNCILPEOPLE MUST VOTE FOR MORE COPS, cut fat from other depts. like union raises/ pensions.
jane @ 10:39 AM PST, Dec 3, 2008
The problem is in the classification of crimes - burglary is classified as a 'serious' crime, but not a 'violent' crime. The Hon. Judge Robert Altman, sitting in Santa Monica Court on a burglary case I was handling, said words to the effect of "A residential burglar is one step away from being a murderer." You see, a 'serious' crime becomes a 'violent' crime all too quickly? Reducing police services at a time when a rise in crimes is an inevitable by-produce of an economic recession, is frankly foolish. Perhaps that isn't part of the LAPD's sophisticated crime data program?
David Berger @ 7:33 AM PST, Dec 3, 2008
Rather than argue that the Westside should get only a quarter of 5/8th of the pie, how about demanding that the city get all of the pie? In case the logic escapes Tim Rutten, this city should have 25,000 officers spread over 3 shifts and 498 sq miles, not 9,300 officers. This city has been under managed for twenty-five years.
david @ 11:13 PM PST, Dec 2, 2008