LAPD Staff Input

Recently The Times ran an article on how private employers handle employee suggestions--with open minds, financial rewards and high praise (Part A, Sept. 15), and two articles on how the LAPD handles employee suggestions--with we-know-better arrogance, dis-incentives and harassment: “LAPD Computer Program Is Short-Circuited by Feud” (front page, Sept. 20) and “LAPD Reassigns Training Expert” (Metro, Sept. 21).

The idea that, for example, the LAPD would throw away a computer program that works--rare enough--but which cost them nothing and would save millions of dollars make no sense. As for the training officer who was transferred, it doesn’t surprise me that he gets frustrated by irrelevant physical tests and runs into supervisors who don’t know their own policies. Too many managers (in lots of businesses) are out of touch and too lazy to find out what’s really going on.

Almost all organizations can benefit from input and ideas generated by the people who actually do the work.

ANDY PEARLMAN

Marina del Rey