Police Sweeps in Los Angeles

A photo in Metro (March 13) was captioned, “As part of ongoing LAPD anti-gang sweeps, an officer searches a home under court order in South-Central L.A. in front of residents.”

Why show a mother with her two children who are obviously shamed and frightened? Are they the perpetrators of a crime? Alleged drug dealers? Or are they victims of a photographer, a newspaper, a gang, a system that uses battering rams and “the hammer”?

The article points out that not everyone stopped by the police is a gang member and “less than 20% of the arrests made on the street or through the serving of warrants involved felonies.” How many innocent people are in the 80% whose lives are affected? What was the result of the search you chose to publicize?

I do not object to police efforts to stop gang violence, drug sales and possession of weapons. However, I do protest indiscriminate sweeps and the kind of publicity which--rather than deterring crime and violence--ultimately harms the very people that the police and the media are trying to protect.

LENORE NAVARRO

DOWLING

Los Angeles