LAPD Treatment of Black Doctor

* Re “LAPD Blames Car Agency Error in Black Doctor’s Arrest,” March 29: The LAPD’s behavior in the situation of Dr. Angelo Gousse illustrates why O.J. Simpson was acquitted and a slick lawyer was able to turn a brutal murder into a racial situation. For blacks, there is little trust of the LAPD, and can you blame them?

As a white person, I cannot believe that if I were stopped in a rental car with a one-digit error in the plates (creating the false impression it was stolen), had the rental car documentation right there and could prove I was a professional person, that matters wouldn’t be cleared up in a few minutes, and it would be a story to tell the grandchildren. In Gousse’s case, and because of the color of his skin, he had a traumatic experience. Even if not a perfect illustration, this case is very close to racial profiling.

DAVID S. LIFTON

West Los Angeles

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* As usual there are those of us who choose to jump the gun and assume that the first article written is the truth and nothing but the truth (letter, March 29). What amazes me is that Gousse failed to mention that the police stopped him because his car was reportedly stolen; oh, that’s right, he is black, so that must be the only reason he was stopped. Lynching? I think not!

Why doesn’t The Times try to get all of its facts straight before raising everybody’s blood pressure and for once give the police a little more credit for the job they do?

DENISE HASSAN

Los Angeles

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* It’s not racial profiling, it’s profiling. As police officers here in Southern California, we don’t say to ourselves, “Hey, there is a black guy, let’s go stop him and jack him up.” The gangbangers, robbers, rapists and murders must be loving this whole buzzword attack on law enforcement (especially the LAPD).

If there were a group of young males standing on your street corner dressed in what looked like gang attire, and let’s say it is 10 p.m. and you want to walk past them, you say to yourself, “This is not good.” If a police car drove by, you would expect/hope that the officer would stop and check these young males to make sure everything was on the up and up, or send them on their way.

There is no pool/cadre of police clones that police have to recruit from. Police officers are hired from local towns and junior colleges. They are you or your neighbor.

JIM HARRELL

Wrightwood