Mayor of Inglewood Defines His City

“After Police Incident, Some Fear Inglewood Will Take a Beating” (July 23) did not provide an accurate portrayal of Inglewood, and the photo at the top of the article--of the child playing in what you described as the “rundown Darby-Dixon neighborhood of Inglewood, which has a long-standing gang problem”--was particularly troubling, as it clearly does not reflect an accurate picture of Inglewood.

The Darby-Dixon neighborhood is a small part of the entire story of the city of Inglewood. Inglewood has a significant African American population, the majority of which are homeowners who take great pride in their property. In fact, our local neighborhoods are what most would consider model all-American middle-class communities. The photo of a broken chain-link fence, metal bars and graffiti-covered walls paints a very unflattering picture of Inglewood that is not entirely accurate. In the future, I hope Inglewood receives the kind of balanced coverage that presents a fair and accurate picture of our entire city.

Roosevelt F. Dorn

Mayor, Inglewood