Police Practices

* We’ve all seen them, those drivers who speed recklessly 30 miles in excess of the posted limit on the freeway, weaving in and out of traffic, never signaling lane changes, a hazard to us all.

How about those who drive faster than 50 mph on Main Street or Thompson Boulevard, screaming past you into downtown Ventura? Ever think, “Where’s a cop when you really need one?”

Well, folks, I discovered where Ventura’s finest really look for lawbreakers to earn their keep. This particular officer was lurking on his motorcycle behind a wall at Olivas Park Drive and Golf Course Road at 7:45 in the morning. waiting for any unsuspecting citizens to allegedly not come to a complete stop at a deserted intersection without another vehicle in sight.

Sound like sour grapes? It’s not. After receiving my citation, I sat not 100 feet from that corner and witnessed more than half a dozen supposed rolling stops pass by in front of the very same officer’s eyes without incident.

No blinker, no stop, no citation.

I guess I’d prefer my tax dollars spent on officers to patrol our main thoroughfares, freeways and trouble spots looking for real threats instead of hiding out near deserted areas.

So behave, fellow citizens, the end of the month is upon us and the city coffers are low.

JOHN PLAIT

Ventura