Police Chief Willie Williams

In response to your editorial, “Why All the Williams Bashing?” (March 6), there are many of us in Los Angeles, a city of all colors, economic statuses and ethnic backgrounds who have been wondering the same thing.

I think, though, that your editorial did not answer the question, which probably is not susceptible to a specific answer.

Who the people are who do not want Police Chief Willie Williams to succeed, regardless of the cost to Los Angeles in morale and dangerous divisiveness, is another question. While we may not know names and exact agendas, we can bet that some of these people live in Los Angeles, some do not; some are in the Police Department, some are not, and some are politicians.

While we expect Chief Williams to adhere to the strictest ethics, the current charges are cheap, trivial and petty, brought by petty people more interested in their own petty agendas than the well-being of Los Angeles.

This city has urgent and crucial problems to solve. We do not have time for pettygate. (The definition of petty : of little consequence; showing a narrow scope or outlook; small-minded; spiteful over small things.)

PATSY CARTER

Los Angeles

* In your editorial, you gently slide over the basic reasons that Williams is under fire. Let me help you with this point of view.

-- More than 1,000 experienced police officers have quit, in disgust, since Williams took over.

-- He has yet to implement even one innovative idea to make any difference regarding crime here in L.A.

-- He gets no respect from the rank-and-file members of the Police Department. Every day they confront crime, but their hearts are not in it.

AL MORENO

San Pedro