Legalize Drugs

While I agree with the editorial “Fundamental Betrayal of Trust” (Dec. 12) that the convictions of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies for corruption and theft of drug money call for better supervision of law enforcement officers, a more obvious way to eliminate the source of corruption, i.e., the huge amounts of money to be made in the illegal drug trade, is to simply decriminalize or legalize drugs.

When drugs are regulated and taxed and the black market trade no longer is profitable for big dealers and crime syndicates, police agencies will no longer enjoy the symbiotic relationship they now have with the dealers, and greedy individuals on each side will have to find a more honest way to make an extra buck.

Since the days of Prohibition, criminals and police have found common currency in the sale of illegal drugs, and will continue to do so until we recognize that the drug problem is a social, psychological or personal problem and will never be solved by law enforcement on any level.

PAUL BURTON

Long Beach