Gang Activity in County Draws Intense Interest From Readers

* After reading the article about the Orange Police Department’s gang book being declared improper by the 4th District Court of Appeal (“Orange’s ‘Gang Book’ Flunks a Legal Test”--Dec. 3), I felt compelled to write. I need to state that I am writing as a private citizen of Orange County, not as a member of the Orange Police Department; however, my police experience helps to form my opinion in the matter of this ruling.

Justice (Edward J.) Wallin indicated that the photographing of gang members was too great an intrusion of their individual liberties. I wonder how (Mynor) Rodriguez’s victim, Roberto Gonzalez, felt when his liberties were being intruded upon as he was being gunned down in the street. I wonder about how the families of the 60 victims of gang-related homicides in Orange County this year feel about the liberties of the gangsters who did the killing.

Wallin also indicated that Rodriguez and his friends were doing nothing more than “socializing” when police contacted them. Three days later, these gangsters “socialized” by shooting a man to death.

I am continually amazed at the likes of ACLU Attorney Robin Toma and Defense Attorney Jill Bojarski, who spend their time in closed offices concocting these lofty arguments while people are being killed. It appears to me that these individuals have no concept of what occurs in the real world.

The politicians, judges and others who dictate what is considered right and wrong need a dose of reality to make them understand that the citizens of this country aren’t interested in “lofty” ideals. They are interested in justice.

DONN HEARN

Orange

* I would like to commend Santa Ana Mayor Dan Young for wanting to start a comprehensive program aimed at fighting the gang problem in our community. I just hope that the politicians here in Santa Ana follow through with their plans with this program, and that it is not just more of their rhetoric.

In June of 1992 Councilman Miguel Pulido led a dog and pony show promoting the same type of program, and here it is December, 1993, and we still see no results of that effort. The citizens and especially the children of Santa Ana deserve a better effort by the bureaucrats and politicians this time around.

In order for this effort to succeed, it will need the help of all the folks here in town, and it will also mean that City Hall will have to reach out to the gang members and make them part of the solution. If the future of Santa Ana is to be bright this plan must work.

SEAN H. MILL

Santa Ana

* In regard to gang member Raul’s comments (“Making Teens Part of the Solution”--Nov. 29); the reason his five friends who got stabbed didn’t have anyone fund-raising for them like Steve Woods did is because Steve Woods was an innocent victim. Gang members are not innocent victims, they are a blight on society. If someone is a gang member, they should expect violence and not help from society.

JULEIGH JENNER

Dana Point