Chief Williams Sues Los Angeles

Re “Police Chief Files $10-Million Claim Against L.A.,” Sept. 19:

Chief Willie Williams contends his professional reputation has been tarnished by vacation habits, not by his inattention to crime-ridden neighborhoods, or the ambush of an innocent family and the execution of a 3-year-old girl. Perhaps Williams should be accountable for the damage he is causing to the reputation of Los Angeles.

Williams is a civic leader, not the participant in a personal injury insurance fraud. It is morally wrong for him to even suggest penalizing the taxpayers for the violation of his personnel files by some political hack. Why not conduct a criminal investigation?

BRIAN HUNT

Los Angeles

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* Let’s see if I have this straight: $10 million would keep a clinic open for a year; $10 million would pay for 100 new police officers. Yet Williams wants the people of Los Angeles to pay him $10 million out of our already strapped budget.

I was inclined to give Williams the benefit of the doubt. But no more. It’s time for the chief to go.

AL SHEAHEN

Van Nuys

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* Re “Receipts Indicate Chief Received Free Rooms in Las Vegas,” Sept. 15:

Our city is falling apart and we finally have a police chief who has some solutions. But, between The Times and the rank and file of racist cops, we will lose the one chance we have to bring our city back to normal. With members of Congress using their frequent mileage coupons to take family trips instead of using them for further government travel; when our fire chief hides thousands of dollars in fees due the city, somehow a free trip to Las Vegas doesn’t seem so important. Let’s let Williams try to fix a broken city.

MARJORIE L. SCHWARTZ

Los Angeles

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* Your article’s proof that Williams repeatedly lied is sad. Lies destroy trust and tarnish confidence, and there is no excuse for making them, especially not by suggesting “semantics” as a reason.

The beleaguered Los Angeles Police Department has officers of every rank whose conduct and actions we can look up to. It is more than unfortunate when the hard-earned reputation for integrity and quality of the majority is affected by the behavior of a few.

In public and private schools alike, children of every race, creed and color are educated and brought up to believe that people in a leadership position have our best interests at heart.

What a disillusionment that the chief did not tell the truth from the beginning. This whole fuss would have probably blown over almost without incident, if he had.

Instead, by his deliberate deceptions and misleading statements, there have been months of controversy that will be remembered for years to come.

NATALIE ANGUILI

Sun Valley

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* As a member of the general public, I recently sent a letter addressed to the CEO of Caesars Palace asking for “comped” lodging, food and telephone calls. In return, I promised that my wife would play the slot machines during our visits. Although Caesars Palace has had an adequate amount of time to respond, I have received no reply. Perhaps my letter was lost in the mail.

JERRY SULLIVAN

Los Angeles