Police Efforts During Rioting

“Smaller cities were virtually unscathed because local officers responded quickly,” is a quote from a recent headline (May 7). West Hollywood, which is policed through a contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, was one of the Westside cities profiled. However, we find it interesting to note that a diverse group of cities including Pico Rivera, Norwalk and Paramount, all of which are served by the Sheriff’s Department, also fared well during the recent demonstrations.

We believe that the partnership that has and is continuing to develop between the Sheriff’s Department and the contracting cities is in large part responsible for this successful response. Sheriff Sherman Block’s commitment to service-oriented policing and his willingness to delegate authority and tailor services at the station level were significant contributors to this success.

PAUL D. BROTZMAN

City Manager, West Hollywood

DENNIS COURTEMARCHE

City Manager, Pico Rivera

RICHARD A. POWERS

City Manager, Norwalk

WILLIAM A. HOLT

City Manager, Paramount