Criticism of Huntington Police

* Re “Huntington Police Plan to Protest Wages,” Oct. 31:

The rankings based on data reported by the Orange County League of California Cities were lower than their true rankings against other Orange County cities with like job titles.

When adjusted to include the city’s contribution to employee benefits, the ranking for a police officer rises from No. 16 to No. 5. This is significant in that the Huntington Beach police labor union is whining about pay raises again and making a mockery of the homeless by staging a “tent city” at City Hall.

These shameless Rolls-Royce cops are trying to appeal to the public by claiming not to have received pay raises in several years. What they don’t tell you is that every police officer who is not at the absolute top of the salary grade receives an automatic 5% step increase every year. This has absolutely nothing to do with merit performance or anything else but time on the job.

Most recently, they declined a 3% raise. Add this to their automatic 5% and that is 8%! When is the last time taxpayers got an 8% raise on top of one of the most generous benefits packages on the planet?

JAMES H. BRIDGES

Costa Mesa

* It certainly appears the Huntington Beach police officers deserve an increase in earnings (“Police Protest Stalled Contract Negotiations,” Nov. 4).

I find it cruelly ironic, however, that these officers who raised tents and demonstrated at the public Civic Center are the same ones--July 4, 1996--who arrested law-abiding citizens in their own private yards for raising a beer. How very Orwellian.

W.M. LAWSON

Costa Mesa