Letters: Don’t fault the police

Re “Sheriff defends tactics used on Dorner,” Feb. 16

As a former sheriff’s sergeant with 41 years of experience in the criminal justice system, and who carefully followed the Christopher Dorner case, I can say that San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon and his department did an outstanding and heroic job of ending the deadly rampage against law enforcement.

Indeed, Dorner, an ex-Los Angeles Police Department officer, was apparently waging war against the first line of defense for the American people, an act of domestic terrorism that is tantamount to treason. If there is any other blame to be laid in this tragedy, it is likely to be found in the failure of the LAPD’s psychological testing and training.

Daniel B. Jeffs

Apple Valley

This just in from the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” department: Sheriff’s deputies are accused of not going far enough when they decided not to break down cabin doors in their search for Dorner at Big Bear Lake, and they’re also accused of going too far in burning down cabin walls and using incendiary tear gas in ending their violent standoff with Dorner.

John Papsys

Pasadena

I find myself a lot less concerned about law enforcement tactics used at the cabin near Big Bear and a lot more concerned about the tactics used by the LAPD in the streets of Torrance.

David Hawkins

Anaheim Hills

Re “The Dorner divide,” Mailbag, Feb. 16

I am astounded at many of the responses to the Dormer situation. His actions cannot be justified, regardless of the wrongs he thought he suffered at the hands of the LAPD. It is safe to say that nearly every worker has encountered job-related problems. Dorner doesn’t deserve a pass for his actions after going through what others have.

If the LAPD deserves any scrutiny, it is for a mental health screening process that apparently didn’t catch Dorner. The villain in this situation is Dorner, not the police officers who risk their lives to rid our society of a killer.

John Peterson

Apple Valley

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